Donald Trump reinforced comments made by Brendan Carr, the chair of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), threatening the broadcast licenses of news organizations that report unfavorably on the war in Iran.
In a Truth Social post on Sunday night, Trump said he was “thrilled” that Carr was “looking at the licenses of some of these Corrupt and Highly Unpatriotic ‘News’ Organizations. They get Billions of Dollars of FREE American Airwaves, and use it to perpetuate LIES …”
Carr wrote in a post on X on Saturday that broadcasters “that are running hoaxes and news distortions – also known as the fake news – have a chance now to correct course before their license renewals come up. The law is clear. Broadcasters must operate in the public interest, and they will lose their licenses if they do not.”
In an interview with Reuters published on Monday but reportedly conducted before that post, Carr said he could accelerate reviews of licenses held by broadcast television stations.
“You can do early renewals,” Carr was quoted as saying. When asked, he also said it was possible to revoke broadcast licenses as a result of pending investigations.
“All of that stuff is on the table,” Carr said.
He added that it would be a “good thing long-term to make sure people understand that there are, in fact, things you can do to lose your license and really help broadcasters reorient their operations to the public interest”.
Carr’s comments drew a rebuke from both Democrats and Republicans noting the first amendment protects news organizations from government censorship. Trump’s comments suggest he will widen his campaign against the media.
Trump described Iran as a “master of media manipulation”, noting – correctly – that AI-generated images had flooded the internet, which news organizations are cautiously navigating. But he then claimed that Iran is “working in close coordination with the Fake News Media” in disseminating these images, describing one in which a US aircraft carrier is shown falsely to be burning at sea.
He wrote: “The story was knowingly FAKE and, in a certain way, you can say that those Media Outlets that generated it should be brought up on Charges for TREASON for the dissemination of false information!”
Pete Hegseth, the US defense secretary and a former Fox News host, lambasted the press at a media availability Friday for what he claimed was unfavorable news coverage. Hegseth barred press photographers from the briefing, reportedly because some photos published of Hegseth have been deemed “unflattering”.
Singling out CNN by name, Hegseth said: “The sooner David Ellison takes over that network, the better.”
It is not the first time Trump has threatened broadcasters’ licenses. Trump railed against an ABC News reporter who asked him about the Epstein files last year. “I think the license should be taken away from ABC because your news is so fake and so wrong,” Trump replied. “And we have a great commissioner, a chairman, who should take a look at that.”
In February, Carr called for broadcasters to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary “by airing patriotic, pro-America content that celebrates the American journey and inspires its citizens by highlighting the historic accomplishments of this great nation from our founding through the Trump Administration today”.
