Brendan Carr, the chair of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), recently threatened to revoke broadcasters’ licenses following President Donald Trump’s criticism of their coverage of the US–Israel war on Iran. This is a significant move, hinting at a potential crackdown on what Carr labelled “hoaxes” and “news distortions.”
According to the BBC, Carr made it clear that broadcast licenses are not some kind of “property right” you just automatically keep. He emphasized that these licenses can absolutely be taken away if stations aren’t serving the public interest. “People have gotten used to the idea that, you know, licences are some sort of property right, and there’s nothing you can do that can result in losing their licence,” Carr stated.
He then added, “I try to sort of help reorient people that, no, there is a public interest, and broadcast is different.” He even responded to a social media post from President Trump, who had suggested that some media outlets “actually want us to lose the War,” by writing, “The law is clear. Broadcasters must operate in the public interest, and they will lose their licences if they do not.”
The push to “correct course” before the next license renewal is quite the warning
Now, the FCC is the country’s broadcast media watchdog, tasked with regulating radio, TV, and satellite airwaves. They have power over things like mergers and decency complaints, and they issue eight-year licenses to individual broadcast stations. It is important to note, however, that they do not license entire TV networks like CBS, NBC, ABC, or Fox. This distinction is key here.
What’s really interesting is that the FCC’s own website states that the “First Amendment and the Communications Act expressly prohibit the Commission from censoring broadcast matter.” It also says the commission’s role in overseeing content on the airwaves is “very limited.” This highlights the tension between Carr’s threats against free speech and the stated principles of the agency he chairs.
Unsurprisingly, Democratic lawmakers are not happy about Carr’s comments, with many calling them unconstitutional. Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren didn’t mince words, writing that it is illegal “for the government to censor free speech it just doesn’t like about Trump’s Iran war.”
California Governor Gavin Newsom called Carr’s threat “flagrantly unconstitutional,” while Senator Mark Kelly weighed in, saying, “This is overreach by the FCC because this administration doesn’t like the microscope and doesn’t want to be held accountable.” These strong reactions underscore the concern over potential censorship.
This isn’t the first time Carr has been at the center of the administration’s battles with TV broadcasters. He previously called for the suspension of TV presenter Jimmy Kimmel after Kimmel criticized Trump and Republicans following the assassination of Charlie Kirk. Kimmel’s show was temporarily taken off the air for six days. Trump has also frequently targeted news outlets he believes are biased against him, even pursuing lawsuits against publications.
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