Skip to content 
The Trump administration is buying taxpayer-funded ads on CNN and MS NOW — two networks that President Donald Trump has tried to keep out of the White House at the same time — even though the ads have not yet begun airing nationally on MS NOW.
The unusual arrangement puts the administration in business with two of their most common media targets. Trump has repeatedly mocked MS NOW’s ratings, even as his administration pays to reach viewers.
The government bought 10 placements on CNN and 38 on MS NOW as part of a broader advertising campaign worth nearly $2.87 million, according to ad tracking data reported by the Washington Post. A spokesperson for MS NOW told TheWrap that the national network was not monitoring spots that were already in some local markets.
MS NOW said the ads were reviewed in line with Versant’s existing advertising standards, which allow ads to reflect different political views. The guidelines also outline the circumstances in which ads may be rejected, including highly offensive content and certain personal or organizational attacks.
“Acceptance of advertising does not influence or influence our editorial decisions or our journalism,” the spokesperson told TheWrap.
The network said that rejecting an otherwise permitted ad because of its political opinion could raise questions about whether those standards were being consistently applied. MS NOW has continued to cover the taxpayer-funded campaign critically, including questions about its purpose, funding and legitimacy.
A CNN spokesperson indicated to TheWrap that the ad met the network’s commercial license guidelines and therefore was aired.
The announcement comes amid an ongoing legal battle over network access in the White House. CNN was shut out of the White House TV pool again Thursday, despite a federal judge restoring access to CNN, MS NOW and Politico last week. The White House also banned CNN from traveling aboard Air Force One last weekend despite the network’s plans to air the pool coverage, forcing the other television networks to scramble to provide a substitute.
The campaign has drawn scrutiny over its spending and political messaging ahead of November’s midterm elections. The spots prominently feature Trump, while the White House branded them as public service announcements promoting patriotism.
Democratic representatives Jamie Raskin and George Whitesides called Thursday for investigations into whether the campaign violates federal restrictions on the use of government resources for political purposes. The Department of Homeland Security transferred $20 million to the White House for the ad campaign, according to Reuters.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said Wednesday that the ads did not raise concerns that warranted an FCC review. Trump has also defended the campaign, arguing that the spots are not election advertising because he is not on the ballot.
