Judge orders removal of 3 taxpayer-funded Trump ads from TV and social media

A federal judge ordered the removal of three taxpayer-funded advertisements linked to the Trump administration, ruling they were created for political or propaganda purposes, PBS NewsHour reported.

The ads, which included one claiming every American would receive $5,000 if Republicans retain control of Congress, must be pulled from official government websites and social media platforms such as YouTube and Instagram, according to PBS NewsHour.

U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Rochon in New York sided with a coalition including the nonpartisan watchdog Common Cause, ordering the removal of the ads titled "$5,000 to Americans," "Every Democrat Voted Against No Tax on Tips," and "Cost of Socialism," while declining to remove other ads.

The judge also canceled any plans to air or distribute the ads through authorized third parties, including former President Trump's super PAC, MAGA Inc., PBS NewsHour added.

The White House responded by calling the ruling "lawless," with spokesperson Lauren Bis criticizing the judge's order to stop sharing what they described as patriotic videos.

The ruling came during a hearing to consider expanding a temporary restraining order initially issued two weeks prior, which banned a series of ads glorifying Trump and echoing his political messaging ahead of the midterm elections, PBS NewsHour reported.