Michaels was right about one thing: The Equal Time rule itself is pretty complicated. For starters, the Equal Time rule is technically not even called the “Equal Time” rule; officially, it is titled “Equal Opportunities.” Colloquially and practically, it makes more sense to focus on time.

A Trump campaign spokesperson said NBC aired a minute-long Trump video during NASCAR and NFL broadcasts to satisfy the FCC’s equal time rules.

NBC filed the Equal Time notice after Brendan Carr, the senior Republican on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), accused the network of trying to evade the rule.