Judge blocks taxpayer-funded Trump ads for 14 days

A federal judge on Sunday ordered the Trump administration to stop airing a series of taxpayer-funded advertisements featuring President Donald Trump and barred the use of Department of Homeland Security funds to develop or distribute them. The temporary restraining order is in effect for 14 days while litigation continues; it is not a final ruling on whether the spending was unlawful. U.S. District Judge Jennifer Rochon of the Southern District of New York issued the order after a coalition including watchdog group Common Cause challenged the advertising campaign. The order requires the administration to cancel remaining ad placements, including any scheduled for Sunday night, and bars it from entering into, renewing or expanding agreements for the challenged advertisements during the order’s term. It took effect at 6:45 p.m. EDT on October 11. The Justice Department had argued in a Saturday court filing that emergency relief was unnecessary because the campaign was about to end. The administration said the Department of Homeland Security had instructed its advertising vendor not to buy spots beyond Sunday.