Federal judge halts taxpayer-funded Trump ads after nearly $22 million spent
publishers 103articles 165first reported 25 Sep, 03:28 UTCdeveloping since 25 Sep · 24 editions
A federal judge in New York ordered the Trump administration to stop airing and purchasing the challenged taxpayer-funded television advertisements promoting President Donald Trump and his policies.
U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Rochon issued a 14-day temporary restraining order Sunday, directing the administration to cancel remaining placements and prohibiting new or expanded agreements involving the challenged ads. Rochon found that a coalition led by Common Cause was likely to succeed on claims that the spending exceeded purposes authorized by Congress and violated federal restrictions on government-funded publicity or propaganda.
The Department of Homeland Security allocated $20 million for the campaign, which began in late September. Data from advertising tracker AdImpact showed U.S. government spending on cable and broadcast for five ads had reached nearly $22 million by Monday, although the tracker’s figures may not reflect the exact total. The ads included messages about Trump’s policies and political themes, and each identified the U.S. government as the payer.
NPR reported that the advertisements continued airing hundreds of times Sunday night into early Monday after Rochon issued her order. A White House official told NPR that the government had not received notice in time to cancel the ad buys and said outside groups would fund the ads going forward.
Trump had said on Oct. 5 that his MAGA Inc. super PAC would assume the cost, but NPR found that nearly $10 million in taxpayer money was spent after that announcement. The White House has characterized the commercials as public service announcements, while the plaintiffs allege they unlawfully used federal funds for political promotion.
HOW THIS STORY WAS MADE
Written from 8 articles, 5 with the publisher's own text; 8 independent newsrooms once syndicated copies count as one; this version written 306 h after the record first saw the story; the editor revised it.
- Publishers
- 103
- Source articles
- 165
- Given to the writer
- 8, 5 with the article's own text
- Independent newsrooms
- 8
- This version written
- 306 h after the record first saw the story
- Second model (editor)
- revised
- Publication gate
- passed
- Human review
- none
WHAT THE EDITOR DID
The second model checked the writer's draft against the same sources and changed it before publication. Struck words were in the draft; underlined words are its corrections.
WHAT IT FLAGGED editor revise: The story needed narrow corrections to match the court order and the sourced descriptions of post-order airings and ad-spending data. - "A federal judge in New York ordered the Trump administration to stop airing and purchasing taxpayer-funded television advertisements promoting President Donald Trump and his policies.": The order applied to the challenged ads, not all taxpayer-funded television advertisements promoting Trump and his policies. - "Data from advertising tracker AdImpact showed government spending on five ads had reached nearly $22 million by Monday, although the tracker’s figures may not reflect the exact total.": Sources specify this was U.S. government spending on cable and broadcast or taxpayer dollars spent to air the ads; the story's broader 'government spending' could mislead about what the tracker measured. - "NPR reported that the advertisements continued airing hundreds of times for several hours after Rochon issued her order.": NPR reported the spots continued into the wee hours of Monday after the Sunday night order, not merely for several hours. - "A White House official told NPR that the government had not received notice in time to cancel the placements and said outside groups would fund the ads going forward.": The official said the government had not received notice in time to cancel the ad buys, not placements.
THE DRAFT AND THE CHANGES
Federal judge halts taxpayer-funded Trump ads after nearly $22 million spent
A federal judge in New York ordered the Trump administration to stop airing and purchasing the challenged taxpayer-funded television advertisements promoting President Donald Trump and his policies.
U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Rochon issued a 14-day temporary restraining order Sunday, directing the administration to cancel remaining placements and prohibiting new or expanded agreements involving the challenged ads. Rochon found that a coalition led by Common Cause was likely to succeed on claims that the spending exceeded purposes authorized by Congress and violated federal restrictions on government-funded publicity or propaganda.
The Department of Homeland Security allocated $20 million for the campaign, which began in late September. Data from advertising tracker AdImpact showed U.S. government spending on cable and broadcast for five ads had reached nearly $22 million by Monday, although the tracker’s figures may not reflect the exact total. The ads included messages about Trump’s policies and political themes, and each identified the U.S. government as the payer.
NPR reported that the advertisements continued airing hundreds of times forSunday severalnight hoursinto early Monday after Rochon issued her order. A White House official told NPR that the government had not received notice in time to cancel the placementsad buys and said outside groups would fund the ads going forward.
Trump had said on Oct. 5 that his MAGA Inc. super PAC would assume the cost, but NPR found that nearly $10 million in taxpayer money was spent after that announcement. The White House has characterized the commercials as public service announcements, while the plaintiffs allege they unlawfully used federal funds for political promotion.
Written by a language model from the sources above, then checked by a second model that may only cut, attribute or correct. How it works →