Judge orders pro-Trump ads paid for by taxpayers be taken off air

A judge has ordered Donald Trump's administration to stop airing taxpayer-funded TV adverts featuring the president which have been criticised as political propaganda.

The commercials, which celebrate Mr Trump ahead of November's midterm elections, have already cost around $19m (£14.35m) of public money, according to reports.

But they have drawn widespread criticism from Republicans and Democrats, with Democrat senators claiming the adverts represented a "shockingly corrupt misuse of taxpayer dollars".

A watchdog group and a coalition opposed to the adverts took court action, saying they were an illegal misuse of funds.

Court declarations also revealed the money had been taken from funds allocated for "among other things" border security.

In New York, US District Judge Jennifer L Rochon granted a temporary restraining order and told the administration to cancel any remaining ads.

"Defendants shall not enter into, renew, or expand any agreement authorising the development, creation, dissemination, placement, or airing of the challenged advertisements" during the two-week duration of her order, the judge said.

When asked to respond to the judge's order, the White House referred to a social media post from Mr Trump last week when he defended the ads as "rather standard".

The president, who has seen a decline in his approval rating, said he would start paying for the ads with his own political fundraising.

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A White House official said there are currently no plans to reimburse taxpayers for the money already spent.

The Department of Homeland Security had allocated $20m (£15.1m) in taxpayer money for the ads, the Associated Press reported.

Legal experts have suggested that the spend violated a federal statute against congressionally appropriated money being used for "publicity or propaganda" and potentially other laws.

The ads started airing in late September and glorified Mr Trump while highlighting his political messaging going into the midterm elections.

In a letter to Homeland Security officials, senators Patty Murray and Chris Murphy wrote: "We should not have to remind you that using government funding to create or air political ads like the ones that have been running over the last few days is illegal and a shockingly corrupt misuse of taxpayer dollars."

(c) Sky News 2026: Judge orders pro-Trump ads paid for by taxpayers be taken off air