FCC’s Carr brushes off concerns about Trump’s taxpayer-paid election ads

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr is waving off criticism of a set of government-funded advertisements that promote President Donald Trump, describing them as ordinary public service announcements. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Carr said he saw nothing unique about the spots beyond the kind of PSAs the government routinely runs, echoing the administration's own defense of them, according to MS NOW.

MS NOW commentator Steve Benen argues the label does not fit. Three ads have been released by the White House with about five weeks left before the midterm elections, and the newest one simply reuses a 2024 Trump campaign spot with a closing line saying it was paid for by the U. S. government. Critics say the campaign appears to conflict with a federal ban on spending public money for propaganda purposes. Benen contrasts the ads with classic public service messages on topics like seat belts, drunk driving, pollution and Smokey the Bear's wildfire warning, which serve the public interest rather than a politician's. He also notes that several congressional Republicans have acknowledged the White House overreached.

The money comes from funds that the Republican domestic policy megabill set aside for Customs and Border Protection, and the cost so far is approaching at least $2. 5 million. The Associated Press, however, says Homeland Security has drawn $20 million for the effort, and the administration has signaled that such spending will grow as Election Day nears.

Summarized by PolitiKool from MS NOW’s reporting. Read the full story at MS NOW →