"Propaganda at the expense of the public": Trump campaign blocked by court order

A New York court issued an injunction prohibiting the Trump administration from using taxpayer money to fund political advertising spots. The ruling came in response to a lawsuit filed by the transparency organization Common Cause, which argued that the ads were intended to promote Republican candidates ahead of the midterm elections. The administration announced it would continue funding the campaign with PAC money.

A district court in Manhattan issued a temporary injunction prohibiting the Trump administration from using taxpayer money to fund political advertising spots. The ruling, handed down by Judge Jennifer Rochon, came in response to a lawsuit filed by the transparency organization Common Cause, a public employees union, and a candidate for the House of Representatives from Alabama. The plaintiffs argued that the ads, which began airing in late September, are not a public service but political propaganda aimed at influencing the midterm elections on November 3. Common Cause CEO Virginia Kase Solomon stated that the organization will not stop until the administration is held fully accountable. President Trump defended the ads, calling them "positive promotion of our great USA." The administration had planned to end public funding even before the judge's decision and stated that the president's political action committee (MAGA PAC) would fund the remainder of the campaign. However, taxpayer money already spent on the ads—which end with a statement that they were paid for by the U.S. government—will not be returned to the public coffers.