The Department of Justice apologized to U.S. District Judge Jennifer Rochon after taxpayer-funded Trump administration ads ran nearly 400 times past an emergency court order blocking them. Government lawyers cited communication delays over a holiday for failing to pull the $15.4 million campaign immediately. Watchdogs condemned the spots as illegal campaign propaganda violating the Hatch Act, while the White House defended them as public service announcements.
Restraining order and ad broadcast violations
- ▪U.S. District Judge Jennifer Rochon issued an emergency temporary restraining order at 6:46 p.m. on October 11, 2026, blocking the Trump administration from using Department of Homeland Security funds to produce or air campaign-style television advertisements
- ▪On the night of October 11, 2026, Trump's advertisement 'Final Battle' aired 193 times during CBS's 60 Minutes, and the administration's 'Maduro' ad aired 198 times during ABC's America's Funniest Home Videos
DOJ response and cancellation delay
- ▪Department of Justice attorneys filed a court update on October 12, 2026, issuing an official apology to U.S. District Judge Jennifer Rochon and plaintiffs for the continued airing of Trump administration advertisements including 'Final Battle' and 'Maduro'
- ▪Department of Homeland Security officials transmitted a copy of the temporary restraining order issued by U.S. District Judge Jennifer Rochon to ad vendor LMD Agency, Inc. on October 12, 2026, to begin canceling television ad placements
Ad campaign spending and individual spots
- ▪The Trump administration's advertisement 'Final Battle' cost over $9 million and aired nearly 10,000 times through October 8, 2026, utilizing messaging nearly identical to Donald Trump's 2024 presidential campaign spots
- ▪The Trump administration spent $15.4 million in Department of Homeland Security funds to air government-funded television advertisements over 16,000 times through October 8, 2026, with each spot ending with 'Paid for by the U.S. Government.'
- ▪The advertisement 'The Country He Loves' aired over 1,315 times at a cost of $1.37 million through October 8, 2026, featuring Ultimate Fighting Championship president Dana White praising Donald Trump
- ▪The advertisement 'Maduro' aired over 1,200 times at a cost of $1.47 million through October 8, 2026, featuring footage of ousted Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro in handcuffs alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio
Criticism and ethics warnings
- ▪Watchdog groups Common Cause and Democracy Forward, alongside Democratic Senator Maggie Hassan, condemned the Trump administration's $15.4 million ad campaign as an illegal, unprecedented use of congressional taxpayer funds for political campaign propaganda
- ▪Ethics lawyers warned that the Trump administration's taxpayer-funded television campaign promoting Donald Trump's presidential record could violate the Hatch Act, a 1939 law restricting executive branch employees' political activities
Debatable claims
- ▪Department of Homeland Security television ads promoting presidential accomplishments constitute illegal political propaganda
- ▪Donald Trump should reimburse the federal government for the television advertisements that already aired
- ▪The Department of Justice's delayed compliance with the court order was an excusable administrative oversight
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