FCC chair says Trump ads do not warrant review

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr said Wednesday that taxpayer-funded advertisements featuring President Donald Trump do not warrant agency review, while advocacy group Public Citizen has asked regulators to stop the ads, arguing they amount to political advertising financed with public money. Carr described the spots as ordinary government public-service announcements and said he saw no basis for FCC review or liability for broadcasters airing them. His position does not resolve the central dispute over whether the advertisements qualify as public-service announcements or instead promote Trump politically. The supplied reporting identifies no final legal or regulatory determination on that question. The White House has defended the ads as patriotic reminders, saying Trump is not on the ballot and the spots contain no call to action. Public Citizen’s complaint to the FCC says the ads are campaign advertisements that should not be produced or distributed with taxpayer resources. The group has also urged the FCC and Federal Trade Commission to intervene and stop further broadcasts. The dispute concerns three nationally broadcast advertisements.