President-elect Donald Trump has named Brendan Carr as the next chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Trump described Carr as a “warrior for Free Speech” in a post announcing the appointment on Truth Social. Carr, who is the senior Republican on the commission, made headlines before the election when he criticized NBC for allowing Vice President Kamala Harris to appear on Saturday Night Live in violation of the “equal time” rule for candidate appearances on television.
Carr accused NBC of favoring one candidate before the election and evading FCC rules by allowing Harris to appear on the show without giving notice to other candidates. As a result, Trump was given equal time to address viewers after an NBC broadcast of a Nascar race. Carr was nominated to the FCC during the first Trump administration in 2017 and has been a supporter of Elon Musk’s efforts to win subsidies for his satellite broadband internet service.
The FCC, which has five members, regulates the telecommunications industry. Carr’s appointment as chairman signifies Trump’s continued focus on promoting free speech and holding media outlets accountable for their actions in relation to political candidates. Carr’s past actions and support for policies favored by Trump allies like Musk suggest that he will continue to prioritize expanding access to broadband internet services during his time as chairman of the FCC.
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