(Julianna Frieman, Headline USA) President-elect Donald Trump named commissioner Brendan Carr as his “permanent” Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission in a statement issued Sunday.
Trump pointed to Carr’s “great work” in his current term, which expires in 2029, as the reason for his nomination.
“Commissioner Carr is a warrior for Free Speech, and has fought against the regulatory Lawfare that has stifled Americans’ Freedoms, and held back our Economy,” Trump wrote. “He will end the regulatory onslaught that has been crippling America’s Job Creators and Innovators, and ensure that the FCC delivers for rural Americans.”
Trump first nominated Carr to the FCC in 2017 and he has been confirmed unanimously by the U.S. Senate three times. Carr served at the FCC since 2012.
Carr, one of two Republicans among the five current FCC commissioners, was quick to call out NBC for its efforts to evade the Equal Time rule by allowing Vice President Kamala Harris to appear on Saturday Night Live without inviting Trump the weekend before Election Day.
This is a clear and blatant effort to evade the FCC's Equal Time rule.
The purpose of the rule is to avoid exactly this type of biased and partisan conduct – a licensed broadcaster using the public airwaves to exert its influence for one candidate on the eve of an election.… https://t.co/LliZF0po9t
— Brendan Carr (@BrendanCarrFCC) November 3, 2024
“This is a clear and blatant effort to evade the FCC’s Equal Time rule,” Carr wrote on Nov, 2.
He explained how important Equal Time is.
“The purpose of the rule is to avoid exactly this type of biased and partisan conduct—a licensed broadcaster using the public airwaves to exert its influence for one candidate on the eve of an election,” he continued. “Unless the broadcaster offered Equal Time to other qualifying campaigns.”
NBC remedied the situation by giving Trump free commercial time during the NASCAR playoff race and Sunday Night Football to match Harris’s 90-second skit, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Carr promptly responded to Trump’s nomination Sunday.
Thank you, President Trump!
I am humbled and honored to serve as Chairman of the FCC.
Now we get to work. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/MPyL2d38kT
— Brendan Carr (@BrendanCarrFCC) November 18, 2024
“Thank you, President Trump!” Carr wrote with an American flag emoji. “I am humbled and honored to serve as Chairman of the FCC. Now we get to work.”
We must dismantle the censorship cartel and restore free speech rights for everyday Americans.
— Brendan Carr (@BrendanCarrFCC) November 18, 2024
Broadcast media have had the privilege of using a scarce and valuable public resource—our airwaves. In turn, they are required by law to operate in the public interest.
When the transition is complete, the FCC will enforce this public interest obligation.
— Brendan Carr (@BrendanCarrFCC) November 18, 2024
The FCC’s most recent budget request said that promoting DEI was the agency’s second highest strategic goal.
Starting next year, the FCC will end its promotion of DEI. pic.twitter.com/we7ViUXczA
— Brendan Carr (@BrendanCarrFCC) November 18, 2024
After the announcement, Carr made posts supportive of free speech and promised to end promotion of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives at the FCC starting next year.
Julianna Frieman is a freelance writer published by the Daily Caller, Headline USA, The Federalist, and The American Spectator. Follow her on Twitter at @JuliannaFrieman.
