Trump appoints Brendan Carr as FCC chairman
Carr will be able to take charge of the agency when Trump begins his term in January.
TroibNews 
President-elect Donald Trump announced on Sunday night that he has appointed conservative Federal Communications Commissioner Brendan Carr to chair the agency.
“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,” stated Trump. “He will end the regulatory onslaught that has been crippling America’s Job Creators and Innovators, and ensure that the FCC delivers for rural America.”
Carr is poised to take control as soon as Trump assumes office in January, as he is already a member of the commission. He was unanimously confirmed to a new five-year term last year and has been serving as a commissioner since 2017.
The forthcoming GOP agenda is expected to reverse progressive telecommunications policies enacted under Democratic FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel, which include net neutrality and regulations against digital discrimination. Carr has been an advocate for a more aggressive strategy to increase wireless spectrum access for the private sector, although Congress must first reauthorize the FCC’s long-expired spectrum auction authority.
On social media, Carr expressed gratitude toward Trump and committed to taking action.
“We must dismantle the censorship cartel and restore free speech rights for everyday Americans,” he stated.
In the lead-up to the election, Carr became a polarizing figure, consistently criticizing the Biden administration’s approach to broadband expansion subsidies and aligning himself with satellite broadband executive Elon Musk, a notable Trump supporter. He contributed a chapter to the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 plan, outlining his vision for reinvigorating the FCC's role in discussions about social media content moderation.
Following Trump’s election victory, Carr remarked that FCC priorities should involve “reining in Big Tech” and “ensuring that broadcasters operate in the public interest.”
Representatives from the tech industry expressed concerns about Carr’s intentions to engage his agency in debates over the online liability protections outlined in Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. This would represent a significant shift for the telecom agency, which traditionally does not regulate the online activities of tech companies.
“Brendan Carr has clearly stated that he plans to attack Section 230 and force online platforms to carry sludge,” said Adam Kovacevich, head of the left-leaning tech lobbying group Chamber of Progress. “That’s why Democrats need to defend Section 230, which protects content moderation and keeps the Internet from becoming a cesspool.”
Nonetheless, Trump’s selection received immediate support on Sunday night from congressional Republicans and past FCC officials from both sides of the aisle. Several prominent Republicans, including incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune, have praised Carr's qualifications for the position in recent interviews. Many lawmakers commended Carr's dedication to traveling to their states over the years as part of his telecommunications responsibilities, which included meetings with local officials and inspecting telecom network towers.
“I know he will make an excellent Chairman of the FCC,” wrote Rep. Bob Latta, who chairs the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, in a social media post.
Ajit Pai, Trump’s first FCC chair and Carr’s former boss, referred to him as a "brilliant" adviser destined for success in his new role. Gigi Sohn, a progressive consumer advocate and former FCC official during the Obama administration, as well as President Joe Biden’s previous nominee for an open FCC seat, also congratulated Carr.
“We may not agree on everything, but he is highly qualified and a good guy,” she stated on social media.
Carr's plans may face some restrictions at the start, as he won’t initially have a GOP majority at the agency. Trump must nominate a third Republican to the commission, who will need to be confirmed by the GOP-controlled Senate.
Alejandro Jose Martinez for TROIB News
“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,” stated Trump. “He will end the regulatory onslaught that has been crippling America’s Job Creators and Innovators, and ensure that the FCC delivers for rural America.”
Carr is poised to take control as soon as Trump assumes office in January, as he is already a member of the commission. He was unanimously confirmed to a new five-year term last year and has been serving as a commissioner since 2017.
The forthcoming GOP agenda is expected to reverse progressive telecommunications policies enacted under Democratic FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel, which include net neutrality and regulations against digital discrimination. Carr has been an advocate for a more aggressive strategy to increase wireless spectrum access for the private sector, although Congress must first reauthorize the FCC’s long-expired spectrum auction authority.
On social media, Carr expressed gratitude toward Trump and committed to taking action.
“We must dismantle the censorship cartel and restore free speech rights for everyday Americans,” he stated.
In the lead-up to the election, Carr became a polarizing figure, consistently criticizing the Biden administration’s approach to broadband expansion subsidies and aligning himself with satellite broadband executive Elon Musk, a notable Trump supporter. He contributed a chapter to the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 plan, outlining his vision for reinvigorating the FCC's role in discussions about social media content moderation.
Following Trump’s election victory, Carr remarked that FCC priorities should involve “reining in Big Tech” and “ensuring that broadcasters operate in the public interest.”
Representatives from the tech industry expressed concerns about Carr’s intentions to engage his agency in debates over the online liability protections outlined in Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. This would represent a significant shift for the telecom agency, which traditionally does not regulate the online activities of tech companies.
“Brendan Carr has clearly stated that he plans to attack Section 230 and force online platforms to carry sludge,” said Adam Kovacevich, head of the left-leaning tech lobbying group Chamber of Progress. “That’s why Democrats need to defend Section 230, which protects content moderation and keeps the Internet from becoming a cesspool.”
Nonetheless, Trump’s selection received immediate support on Sunday night from congressional Republicans and past FCC officials from both sides of the aisle. Several prominent Republicans, including incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune, have praised Carr's qualifications for the position in recent interviews. Many lawmakers commended Carr's dedication to traveling to their states over the years as part of his telecommunications responsibilities, which included meetings with local officials and inspecting telecom network towers.
“I know he will make an excellent Chairman of the FCC,” wrote Rep. Bob Latta, who chairs the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, in a social media post.
Ajit Pai, Trump’s first FCC chair and Carr’s former boss, referred to him as a "brilliant" adviser destined for success in his new role. Gigi Sohn, a progressive consumer advocate and former FCC official during the Obama administration, as well as President Joe Biden’s previous nominee for an open FCC seat, also congratulated Carr.
“We may not agree on everything, but he is highly qualified and a good guy,” she stated on social media.
Carr's plans may face some restrictions at the start, as he won’t initially have a GOP majority at the agency. Trump must nominate a third Republican to the commission, who will need to be confirmed by the GOP-controlled Senate.
Alejandro Jose Martinez for TROIB News
