An election ad for former President Donald Trump aired on NBC near the end of the broadcast of NASCAR Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway Sunday evening.

Trump was seen wearing his “Make America Great Again” hat as he told viewers that the election of Vice President Kamala Harris would lead to another “depression.” He also asked viewers to go out and vote with only hours left before Election Day.

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

The Republican presidential candidate’s appearance appears to be linked to Harris’ surprise appearance on “Saturday Night Live,” according to multiple reports.

Outcry over his appearance and whether Trump would get time off some NBC shows were at the heart of Sunday’s discussions.

NBC News filed an Equal Time notice with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Sunday evening following the backlash, revealing Harris’ “SNL” appearance after the network was accused of violating the longstanding rule.

The notice came after Commissioner Brendan Carr, the FCC’s top Republican, blasted NBC’s decision to host Harris in the last episode of SNL before Election Day, while not giving equal time to former President Trump or other candidates in the presidential cycle.

“It makes it seem like at least some executives at NBC, at SNL, have made it clear that they want to weigh in on a candidate before the election. That’s exactly why, for decades, we’ve had equal time.” The rule of the book is to prevent this. Because remember, broadcasters are placed in a special position of trust. They’re not like any other person with a soapbox on the street corner. They have a license from the federal government that requires them to do so. to operate in the public interest,” Carr told Fox News Digital in a Zoom interview Sunday morning.

Democratic Vice President for President Kamala Harris speaks to reporters after delivering remarks during a church 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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NBC’s filing later Sunday confirms that the network “considers Harris’ SNL appearance to be free use of its facilities and airwaves within the meaning of the federal equal time rule,” Carr told Fox News Digital later Sunday, underscoring the limited time frame for Trump and others. in this case, you will have to accept the network’s offer.

Harris appeared on the sketch-comedy plan with 1 minute and 30 seconds. It is unclear whether Trump would appear elsewhere on the network’s broadcasts until Election Day.

Former President Donald Trump, Republican presidential candidate, gestures after a Tucker Carlson Live Tour show at Desert Diamond Arena on Thursday, October 31, in Glendale, Arizona. (AP/Julia Démarée Nikhinson)

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

Yael Halon of Fox News contributed to this report.

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