Trump's $20m taxpayer-funded ads ran nearly 400 times AFTER judge ordered them pulled

Watchdog groups told a federal court that Trump's $20 million Department of Homeland Security ad campaign continued airing on national television nearly 400 times in the hours after US District Judge Jennifer Rochon's emergency order to halt them. The ads, which carried patriotic imagery and clips of Trump's achievements with the tagline 'America will never be a communist country', were funded from a $175 million congressional immigration enforcement package. DHS reportedly did not receive the court's notice in time to cancel the bookings, and outside groups would reportedly fund any future spots.

Judge Rochon's temporary restraining order, which lasts 14 days, also bars DHS from spending any more of the $20 million allocation — of which roughly $19 million has already been spent.

The ad buy likely violated a federal statute banning congressionally appropriated funds from being used for 'publicity or propaganda', though plaintiffs stopped short of seeking contempt sanctions.

Trump told reporters he would not commit to repaying the federal funds already spent, having earlier insisted the taxpayer-funded campaign was 'rather standard'.