Democrats blast FCC Chair Carr’s broadcast license threats as anti-First Amendment, ‘totalitarian’
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr has drawn fierce backlash from Democratic lawmakers and free speech advocates for threatening to revoke broadcasters’ licenses over their coverage of the war in Iran.
On Saturday, Carr criticized broadcasters shortly after President Donald Trump called reports that Iran had shot down five US tanker planes “fake news.”
One Publish on XCarr warned that broadcasters would lose their licenses if they did not “act in the public interest”. “Publishers who publish distorted news, also known as fake news and fake news, now have a chance to correct course before license renewals arrive,” Carr wrote in the accompanying post. Trump’s statement regarding Truth Social Saturday early.
Democrats said Carr’s comments amounted to an authoritarian attack on free speech.
“Constitutional law 101: it’s illegal for the government to censor free speech, they just don’t like Trump’s Iran war” Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., wrote on saturday About X. “This threat comes straight from the authoritarian playbook.”
“We are not on the verge of a totalitarian takeover,” said Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn. In a post on X he wrote:. “WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE.”
The FCC did not immediately return CNBC’s request for comment.
Wall StreetJournal reported on friday It was stated that five refueling tankers were hit during Iran’s missile attack on the Prince Sultan air base in Saudi Arabia.
One Real Social postTrump called it an “intentionally misleading headline,” citing the Journal, The New York Times and other “Lowlife” newspapers.
California Governor Gavin Newsom, Democrat wrote to x He said it would be “clearly unconstitutional” for the FCC to revoke its broadcast license because it disagrees with coverage of the Iran war.
Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., concurred. don’t write that such a move would be “blatantly anti-First Amendment” and “fascist.”
Even Trump ally Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) expressed his displeasure with Carr’s remarks.
“I’m a big supporter of the First Amendment, I don’t like the heavy hand of government, no matter who uses it,” Johnson said in an interview on Fox News’ “The Sunday Briefing.” “So no, I would prefer the federal government stay away from the private sector as much as possible.”
The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, a group that advocates for free speech, called the FCC chairman’s warning to broadcasters about news in Iran “outrageous.”
“Something went very wrong when the government demanded that the press become the mouthpiece of the state, under threat of punishment.” wrote to x.
But responding to Warren’s remarks about X, Carr argued that the FCC has a First Amendment right to revoke a broadcaster’s license if it is deemed not in the public interest, citing a Supreme Court case.
“No one has a First Amendment right to obtain a license or monopolize radio frequency; denying a station license because the ‘public interest’ warrants it is not a ‘denial of free speech,'” Carr wrote.
This quote is a direct quote From the Supreme Court decision of 1969 Red Lion Broadcasting Co., Inc. – Federal Communications Commissionwhich referenced another Supreme Court case, National Broadcasting Co. / United States In 1943.
Senator Warren’s press office did not respond to a request for comment on Carr’s rebuttal.
Carr’s threats over Iran war coverage aren’t the first time the Trump administration has gone after media companies for comments the president doesn’t like.
Disney, ABC’s parent company, has brought back “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” That’s after Carr indefinitely paused the show in September after she suggested local stations were putting their licenses at risk because of host Kimmel’s comments linking the alleged killer of conservative activist Charlie Kirk to President Donald Trump’s MAGA movement.
Nexstar Media Group, one of the largest owners of broadcast television stations, and conservative broadcast network Sinclair temporarily pulled the show from their schedules.
More recently, ABC’s “The View” came under pressure after Carr said the show was under investigation for failing to provide equal time to opposing candidates after hosting Democratic Senate Democrat James Talarico of Texas.
CBS star Stephen Colbert was also told by his network that it could not air an interview with Talarico due to concerns the Trump administration would consider it a violation. Instead, Colbert conducted the interview and posted it on YouTube, where FCC rules do not apply.
On Friday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said at a Pentagon briefing that he looked forward to U.S. control of cable giant CNN. Paramount SkydanceThe company’s billionaire owner David Ellison hinted that the news network’s coverage could change after the company agreed to buy CNN’s parent company Warner Bros Discovery.
“The sooner David Ellison takes over this network, the better,” he said.
While Trump and Carr continue to threaten media companies with losing broadcast licenses for what they call unfair coverage, those licenses only apply to local TV broadcasters. Cable networks like CNN, streaming services and print publications are not affected.
