Judge Orders 3 More Taxpayer-Funded Trump Ads Pulled, Including the '$5,000' Spot

U.S. District Judge Jennifer Rochon ordered the federal government Friday, Oct. 30, to pull three taxpayer-funded ads -- including one touting Trump's claim that Americans would get "$5,000" if Republicans kept control of Congress -- from government websites and social media, and barred their airing or distribution by outside groups including Trump's MAGA Inc. super PAC. The ruling expanded a temporary restraining order Rochon issued two weeks earlier in a suit brought by Common Cause and other watchdog groups; she declined to pull several other ads the plaintiffs had challenged.

Rochon, a Biden nominee, said plaintiffs were likely to succeed on claims that the three ads functioned as political messaging rather than informing the public about government programs, while noting she could still reverse herself as the case proceeds. "This court can neither postpone an election nor turn back the clock," she said. The White House called the order "lawless."

Government lawyers asked Rochon late Friday to exclude MAGA Inc. from the order, arguing the super PAC isn't a party to the underlying suit, which does not name Trump as a defendant; she had not ruled on that request as of Friday's hearing.