The U.S. Department of Justice says it apologizes after taxpayer-funded television advertisements featuring President Donald Trump continue airing despite a federal judge’s order blocking the government from running them. Multiple outlets report the ads ran hundreds of times across several programs.
According to the reports, the advertising campaign costs $20 million and involves pro-Trump, campaign-style messaging. Independent and other outlets say the ads were aired in nearly 400 spots, even after a court decision that temporarily restrains the government’s conduct. The Hill and Washington Examiner report that plaintiffs—led by government watchdog groups including Common Cause and others, with at least one candidate involved—sued on the basis that the administration violated the court order.
Outlets differ mainly in how they describe the timing and distribution details, including specific broadcast programs cited by some sources. All accounts, however, describe the same core sequence: a judge blocks the ads, the ads still air at scale, and DOJ issues an apology following the court-ordered dispute.
