DOJ ‘apologizes’ for running Trump’s taxpayer ads hundreds of times despite court order yanking them from airwaves

DOJ ‘apologizes’ for running Trump’s taxpayer ads hundreds of times despite court order yanking them from airwaves Ads aired in nearly 400 spots after a court order that blocks the government from running them. Millions of dollars have already been spent making them - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments Become an Independent member to bookmark this article Already a member? Log in A federal judge blocked Donald Trump’s administration from running taxpayer-funded campaign-style television ads promoting the president and his agenda — but the spots continued to run anyway, blowing past a court deadline to pull them off the air. The order blocks the administration from “using, disbursing or transferring” taxpayer funds appropriated by the Department of Homeland Security to “develop, create, disseminate, place, distribute, publish or air” the commercials for at least two weeks while the legal battle continues. That order was issued at 6:46 p.m Sunday. But ads continued to run in nearly 400 spots that night and in the day that followed, according to AdImpact data reviewed by the plaintiffs. Department of Justice officials sent a notice that “apologizes” to the court. According to AdImpact data, Trump’s “Final Battle” ad — virtually identical to a 2024 campaign ad promising to “demolish the deep state” and “drive out the globalists” — ran in 193 spots during CBS 60 Minutes broadcasts on Sunday night. The administration’s “Maduro” ad — which features footage of ousted Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro in handcuffs — aired in 198 spots during ABC’s America’s Funniest Home Videos. On Monday, “Final Battle” aired in 11 spots that night, and “The Country He Loves” — which features Ultimate Fighting Championship president Dana White — aired in at least one spot, according to government watchdog group Common Cause, which is suing to stop the ads. The Justice Department said a copy of Sunday’s order wasn’t sent to the officials until 7:58 p.m. Sunday — more than one hour after the judge’s decision. “Agency counsel did not become aware of Government counsel’s email until this morning,” government attorneys at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of New York wrote Monday. “The undersigned apologizes to the Court and the plaintiffs.” Homeland Security officials have sent a copy of the court’s restraining order to ad vendors LMD Agency, Inc. to begin pulling the spots, according to the Justice Department. Officials “understand that they are enjoined from using, disbursing, or transferring funds appropriated to the Department of Homeland Security to develop, create, disseminate, place, distribute, publish, or air the challenged advertisements,” government attorneys wrote. Officials also “understand that they shall cancel or cause to be cancelled any slot, placement, reservation, or arrangement for the airing or dissemination of the challenged advertisements” an “not enter into, renew, or expand any agreement authorizing the development, creation, dissemination, placement, or airing of the challenged advertisements.” But the government has already spent millions of dollars developing and placing the ads, all of which end with the phrase “Paid for by the U.S. Government.” “The Country He Loves” — which first aired September 23 — claims Trump implemented the “largest tax cuts in history” and is “reigniting American manufacturing” and “defend[ing] law and order and police.” The ad also says “America will never be a communist country” and the UFC’s Dana White calls Trump the “toughest, most resilient person” he has ever met. As of October 8, the ad aired roughly 1,315 times, generating an estimated 95 million impressions, at an estimated cost of more than $1.37 million, according to AdImpact data reviewed by the plaintiffs. Another ad, “Celebrating the Enduring Spirit,” aired approximately 3,190 times at an estimated cost exceeding $2.84 million. “Final Battle” aired nearly 10,000 times, at a cost of more than $9 million. “To the Great Proud People of Iran” — in which Trump calls on Iranians to “take over” their government — aired roughly 782 times at a cost of $595,000. “Maduro” — which features Secretary of State Marco Rubio warning “don’t play games when this president’s in office because it’s not gonna turn out well” before showing a clip of Maduro in handcuffs — aired more than 1,200 times at a cost of $1.47 million. Altogether, Trump’s ads aired more than 16,000 times at a cost of $15.4 million in advertising expenditures through October 8, according to plaintiffs. The Justice Department has not disputed these figures. The campaign also reportedly includes eight other ads that have not yet aired, thanks to the injunction. “We are pleased the court acted swiftly to prevent more taxpayer dollars from being used for such blatantly unlawful political propaganda,” plaintiffs said in a statement on Sunday night. “There is no legal justification — and no precedent — for the president to use the machinery of the government and funds set aside by Congress for other uses to influence electoral outcomes that further his own agenda,” they added. Trump has said he will pay for the ads himself, but the White House told The Independent that the president “was not referring to reimbursement.” It’s unclear how Trump will spend the money himself, and he is legally barred from directing or controlling the spending decisions of a super PAC connected to him. Former White House ethics lawyer and Democracy Defenders Action co-founder Norm Eisen previously told The Independent that the ads are “clearly” political propaganda. “This is yet another corrupt attempt to advance a partisan agenda ahead of the midterm election, paid for by average American taxpayers who are already suffering from high costs caused by this administration’s failed policies,” he said. Senator Maggie Hassan, a top Democrat on the Joint Economic Committee, told The Independent that “these campaign ads never should have run on the taxpayer’s dime to begin with.” “They were clearly wrong and clearly illegal, which is why the president should also immediately repay the taxpayers for the amount already spent on these ads,” she said. Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments [Image text:] Paid for by the U.S. Government