A campaign ad for former President Donald Trump aired on NBC at the end of the NASCAR Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway and during the NFL broadcast of the Minnesota Vikings versus Indianapolis Colts game on Sunday evening. The ad began with the message, "A special message from Donald J. Trump."
Wearing his MAGA hat, Trump warned viewers that electing Kamala Harris could lead to another "depression." He urged people to go out and vote, reminding them there were only a few hours left before Election Day would end. The ad comes after allegations that Harris' "SNL" appearance copied Trump's appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon from 2015.
Trump Gets Free Ad on NBC
"We're losing everything, including viability," Trump said in the ad. "We're going to end up in a depression based on what's been happening. We've never seen anything like it, at least in the last 40 years."
Reports suggest that the appearance of the Republican presidential candidate may have been in response to Harris' unexpected guest spot on "Saturday Night Live."
Fox News Digital contacted NBC for a statement.
The debate over Harris' appearance and whether Trump would receive equal broadcast time on NBC dominated discussions on Sunday.
NBC News filed an Equal Time notice to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) late Sunday in response to the backlash, disclosing Harris' SNL appearance after being accused of breaching the longstanding rule.
Ad Follows Notice
The notice came after FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr, the top Republican on the commission, condemned NBC's choice to feature Harris on the final "SNL" episode before Election Day without providing equal airtime to former President Trump or other candidates in the presidential race.
Carr told Fox News Digital in a Zoom interview on Sunday morning, "This has all the appearances of, at least some leadership at NBC, at SNL, making clear that they wanted to weigh-in in favor of one candidate before the election.
"That's exactly why, for decades, we've had an equal time rule on the book, is to prevent that. Because remember, broadcasters are placed in a special position of trust.
"They're not just like any other person with a soapbox on the corner. They have a license from the federal government that obligates them to operate in the public interest,"
In its Sunday filing, NBC said it considers Harris' SNL appearance to be a free use of its facilities and airwaves under the federal Equal Time rule, according to Carr in a comment to Fox News Digital. He noted the narrow timeframe for Trump and other candidates to respond to the network's offer.
Harris' appearance on the sketch-comedy show lasted 1 minute and 30 seconds.
It remains unclear if Trump will make an appearance on another NBC broadcast before Election Day.
The Federal Communications Commission's equal-time rule, established in 1934, mandates that radio and television broadcasters offer equal airtime to competing political candidates.
However, the rule includes certain exemptions, such as coverage in newscasts, documentaries, and political debates.
