November 18th 2024.
On Sunday, President-elect Donald Trump announced Brendan Carr as the new chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the agency responsible for regulating broadcasting, telecommunications, and broadband. Carr, a longtime member of the commission, previously served as the FCC's general counsel and has been unanimously confirmed by the Senate three times. He was nominated by both Trump and President Joe Biden.
Although the FCC is an independent agency overseen by Congress, Trump has expressed a desire to have more control over it, especially in regards to punishing TV networks that he feels cover him unfairly. Carr, who has recently shown support for Trump's views on social media and technology, even wrote a section on the FCC in "Project 2025," a plan created by the conservative Heritage Foundation that aims to downsize the federal workforce and dismantle federal agencies in a potential second Trump administration.
While Trump claims he is not familiar with Project 2025, many of its themes align with his own statements. In a statement congratulating Trump on his win, Carr expressed his belief that the FCC has a crucial role to play in reining in "Big Tech," ensuring that broadcasters act in the public interest, and promoting economic growth.
In response, Trump praised Carr as a "warrior for Free Speech" and promised that he would put an end to the regulatory burdens that have hindered American job creators and innovators. The president also mentioned Carr's strong stance against "regulatory lawfare," referencing his opposition to the FCC's decision to revoke a federal award for Elon Musk's satellite service, Starlink.
The five-person commission currently has a 3-2 Democratic majority, but this will change when Trump gets to appoint a new member next year. Carr has made several appearances on Fox News, including one where he criticized Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris for her appearance on "Saturday Night Live" before the election, claiming that the network did not offer equal time to Trump.
In addition to his television appearances, Carr is also a prolific writer, having published numerous op-eds. In a recent piece for The Wall Street Journal, he spoke out against the FCC's decision to revoke the federal award for Starlink, arguing that it was not based on objective facts, law, or policy, but rather a targeted attack on Elon Musk by the left.
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