FCC chair Carr says Trump government ads do not warrant review
Brendan Carr called the taxpayer-funded Trump spots ordinary PSAs, while critics question their timing and use of public money.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
3 min read
FCC Chair Brendan Carr said the FCC Trump ads review sought by critics is not warranted, saying taxpayer-funded television spots featuring President Donald Trump look to him like standard government public service announcements.
Speaking Wednesday, Carr said he saw nothing in the three nationally broadcast ads that called for FCC action or created liability for stations that air them. He said the spots did not raise red flags for him.
That is Carr's view of whether the FCC should examine the broadcasts. It is not a ruling on the separate objections over the use of public funds to produce and place the ads.
Why is the FCC being asked to review Trump ads?
Public Citizen filed a complaint with the FCC arguing that the spots are campaign advertisements and should not have been made or distributed with taxpayer resources, Reuters reported. The group also pointed out that one ad closely resembles a Trump campaign advertisement from 2024, according to NBC News.
Democratic lawmakers said the White House transferred $20 million from the Department of Homeland Security to air the ads, Reuters reported. The ads were airing five weeks before the midterm elections, prompting criticism from ethics experts and lawmakers in both parties.
The ads carry a disclaimer stating that they were paid for by the U.S. government, Reuters reported. One features Trump saying America will never be a communist country, while another pairs Mount Rushmore imagery with his remarks about a “golden age of America.” A third invokes a “final battle” against the “deep state” and closely resembles the earlier campaign ad.
What do Carr and the White House say?
Carr, a Republican appointed as FCC chair by Trump, said the White House had described the commercials as ordinary public service announcements. He said he did not see anything unusual about them or anything that would require an FCC review.
The White House has said the ads are meant to encourage patriotism rather than serve as campaign advertising, according to Reuters. Trump also defended them Wednesday, saying he was not running for office and characterized the commercials as ads for the country, Reuters reported.
Critics see a political message
Anna Gomez, the FCC's Democratic commissioner, said she understood concerns that taxpayer dollars were being used to advance a political message so near an election. She said the administration had launched an aggressive effort to influence the midterm-election outcome, according to Reuters.
The dispute has produced competing claims, not a finding by the FCC or a court. Carr said the broadcasts do not merit review; Public Citizen argues they should not be funded or distributed with taxpayer resources; and the White House says they are public service announcements.
This story draws on original reporting from NBC News.