Trump campaign ad aired during NBC’s NASCAR race coverage amid uproar over Harris ‘SNL’: reports

At the end of the broadcast, former President Donald Trump’s campaign ad was aired on NBC NASCAR Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway on Sunday evening.

Trump, wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat, told viewers that the election of Vice President Kamala Harris would cause another “depression.” He also told viewers to go out and vote as there were only a few hours left until Election Day.

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Former U.S. President and Republican Party presidential candidate Donald Trump competes in the NASCAR Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 26, 2024, in Concord, North Carolina. (Logan Riely/Getty Images)

According to multiple reports, the Republican presidential candidate’s appearance appeared to be related to Harris’ surprise appearance on “Saturday Night Live.”

On Sunday, there was an uproar over her appearance and whether Trump would get free time on any NBC broadcast.

NBC News submitted a notice of equal time with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) late Sunday following backlash, revealing Harris’ “SNL” appearance after the network was accused of violating the long-standing rule.

The announcement came after Commissioner Brendan Carr, the FCC’s senior Republican, sharply criticized NBC’s decision to host Harris in the last episode SNL before Election Day, failing to offer equal time to former President Trump or other candidates in the presidential cycle.

“All of this indicates that at least some leaders at NBC, at SNL, made it clear that they wanted to support one candidate before the election. That’s why we’ve had the same amount of time for decades under regulations to prevent this from happening. Please remember that senders are particularly trusted. They are not like every other person with a soapbox on the corner. They have a license from the federal government that requires them to act in the public interest,” Carr told Fox News Digital in a Zoom interview Sunday morning.

Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris speaks to reporters after delivering remarks during a service at the Greater Emmanuel Institutional Church of God in Christ, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

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An NBC filing later Sunday confirms that the network “views Harris’ appearance on SNL as free use of their facilities and airwaves under the federal equal time rule,” Carr told Fox News Digital on Sunday, emphasizing the limited time frame of Trump and others in this case, take advantage of the network’s offer.

Harris appeared in a comedy sketch lasting 1 minute and 30 seconds. It is unclear whether Trump will appear elsewhere on the network’s broadcasts until Election Day.

Republican presidential candidate, former President Donald Trump, gestures after the Tucker Carlson Live Tour performance at the Desert Diamond Arena on Thursday, October 31, in Glendale, Arizona. (AP/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

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The Federal Communications Commission’s equal time rule was established in 1934 and requires radio and television stations to provide equal time to competing political candidates. There are exceptions to the rule, such as news programs, documentaries and political debates.

Fox News’ Yael Halon contributed to this report.

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