President-elect Donald Trump has selected Brendan Carr, the current top Republican on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), to serve as its chairman.
Brendan Carr, 45 years, has been vocal against the Joe Biden administration’s telecom policies, including:
The FCC’s rejection of $900 million in broadband subsidies for SpaceX’s Starlink.
The Commerce Department’s $42 billion broadband infrastructure program.
Joe Biden’s spectrum policy.
Brendan opposes reinstating net neutrality rules repealed during Donald Trump’s first term.
Brendan Carr has criticized tech giants like Meta, Google, Apple, and Microsoft for alleged censorship.
Brendan Carr has pledged to restore free speech rights, drawing criticism from Democrats who accused him of threatening private companies.
Brendan Carr supports loosening ownership rules for radio and TV stations in single markets.
He has criticized the Biden FCC’s digital discrimination rule as federal overreach.
Donald Trump suggested broadcast networks like ABC, NBC, and CBS could lose their FCC licenses for perceived bias.
Brendan Carr has been a consistent critic of Chinese telecom companies.
In 2022, he became the first FCC commissioner to visit Taiwan, reinforcing his hardline approach.
Donald Trump commended Carr as a “warrior for free speech” and a fighter against regulatory overreach, Reuters news report said.
The incoming administration will need to nominate another Republican commissioner to secure a majority on the five-member FCC. Democrats had only gained full control of the FCC in September 2023, late into Biden’s term.
Carr’s appointment signals a shift in priorities for the FCC, focusing on deregulation, free speech advocacy, and tougher stances on foreign telecom influences.
The National Association of Broadcasters praised Carr’s leadership in holding Big Tech accountable.
Fiber Broadband Association President and CEO Gary Bolton said: “Our country still has quite a lot of work to do to ensure every community can access the valuable applications that high-speed broadband connects them to, and we will continue our unwavering support to all policymakers, providing them the research, resources, and expertise to make the best decisions for Americans.”
