Could Bloomberg have given each US citizen $1 million from ad spend? Fact Check

Claims are spreading that Michael Bloomberg could have given $1 million dollars to each US citizen using the money he spent on advertising during his failed 2020 presidential campaign. This claim was boosted after a US news anchor host and his guest discussed and subsequently agreed with the claim during a broadcast.

FALSE

The claim that Michael Bloomberg could have given each American $1 million each from his political ad spent are false. It is true, however, that a US news anchor and his guest incorrectly agreed with the claim during a live broadcast.

In a segment about Michael Bloomberg and political ad spend, MSNBC “The Eleventh Hour” host Brian Williams and his guest, Mara Gay from the New York Times, briefly analysed a tweet from Twitter user Mekita Rivas that read –

Bloomberg spent $500 million on ads. The U.S. population is 327 million. He could have given each American $1 million and still have money left over. I feel like a $1 million check would be life-changing for most people. Yet he wasted it all on ads and STILL LOST.

After reading the tweet, host Williams claimed it was “an incredible way of putting it“, and his guest Mara Gay agreed and said “It’s true. It’s disturbing“.

To clarify, the math on the tweet is drastically inaccurate and so it the analysis of both Williams and Gay. If Bloomberg spent $500 million on ad spent, and the population of the US is around 327 million, you simply divide 500 million by 327 million, meaning you get a result of around $1.52.

That means Bloomberg could have given each American around $1.52 each based on his political ad spend. Not $1 million each.

You can see the serious blooper by the MSNBC host and his guest below.