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President Trump Accused of Violating Law with 2024 Campaign Ad Reuse
A recent lawsuit alleges that the Trump administration violated the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026 by using government funds for partisan advertising purposes. The plaintiffs argue that the advertisements, which are similar to those used during President Trump’s 2024 campaign, do not serve any official DHS functions but instead promote political messages.
According to the lawsuit, one of the ads aired approximately 9,679 times and generated an estimated 972 million impressions at a cost of over $9.09 million. In total, the government is said to have spent around $15.4 million on these ads.
The court found that there is a significant possibility of the Trump administration violating the Administrative Procedure Act by using funds that were not specifically appropriated for these ads. Despite DHS claiming that they have no plans to continue advertising, the court issued a temporary restraining order to halt the ad’s airing.
The lawsuit is ongoing, with the possibility of the restraining order being converted into a preliminary injunction. This legal battle adds to the challenges faced by Trump, the White House, OMB, and DHS in a similar lawsuit filed by the Democratic National Committee in federal court in the District of Columbia. A hearing is scheduled for Thursday to address the motion for a temporary restraining order in that case.
Source: arstechnica.com
