Judge orders Trump administration to stop airing controversial ads

A federal judge ruled that the Trump administration must end an advertisement campaign that spent millions of taxpayer dollars on messaging that critics argued was political.

Big picture view:

U.S. District Judge Jennifer Rochon granted a temporary restraining order sought by a coalition that claimed the ad campaign was an illegal misuse of funds and directed the White House to cancel any ads that were set to air, including those that were going to run on Sunday night. 

What they're saying:

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

In a filing on Saturday, the Justice Department argued that a restraining order was not needed because "the alleged offending conduct will end tomorrow."

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The backstory:

The Department of Homeland Security spent $20 million on the campaign, using money that DHS official Holly Mehringer stated was appropriated by Congress and "available for, among other things, ‘commemorating efforts and events related to border security,’" the Associated Press reported. 

Dig deeper:

The campaign, which began in September, included a spot that featured President Donald Trump discussing the threat of communism, one that was similar to an advertisement from his last presidential campaign, and an ad about the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. 

The ads were quickly condemned by critics, including Republicans like Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota, who said they "shouldn’t be paid for with taxpayer dollars." The White House has defended the ads by comparing them to public service announcements that previous administrations have aired supporting various policies.

 

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