Full Breakdown
DOJ Apologizes After Trump Ads Continued Airing Despite Court Order
By Drooid · · How we work
DOJ Apology and Continued Airings
The Department of Justice issued an apology after the administration’s taxpayer-funded television advertisements featuring President Donald Trump kept running after a federal judge blocked them. The DOJ said some staff did not see the judge’s order until the following holiday, which delayed the cancellation of already purchased ad slots.
Legal Challenge and Court Order
U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Rochon, a Biden appointee, granted a temporary restraining order that barred the use of Department of Homeland Security funds for the ads and required the cancellation of any scheduled placements. The order was sought by the advocacy group Common Cause, Service Employees International Union Local 32BJ, the Empire State 32BJ SEIU PAC, and Alabama state-house candidate Robert Hunter. Plaintiffs filed a notice indicating that the ads continued to run after the order took effect.
Scale of the Advertising Run
According to data cited by Democracy Docket, the government’s ads aired in nearly 400 television spots after the restraining order. One ad appeared in 193 spots during CBS’s “60 Minutes,” another in 198 spots during ABC’s “America’s Funniest Home Videos,” and additional runs included 20 airings of a spot titled “Maduro,” 11 of “Final Battle,” and one of “The Country He Loves.” The campaign was financed with roughly $20 million redirected from Office of Management and Budget funds to a Customs and Border Protection account for “commemorative events.”
Official Statements & Responses
The DOJ’s filing acknowledged the error, stating that its lawyers “did not become aware of” the judge’s emailed order until the morning after it was issued. The department assured the court that the government was now in compliance, while the White House said the Department of Homeland Security had not received notice in time to halt the purchases. The administration instructed its outside vendor to stop airing the commercials, froze future payments, and placed the $20 million allocation on hold.
