Moments after Donald Trump appointed him to regulate the nation’s broadcasters, Brendan Carr promised to “dismantle the censorship cartel and restore free speech rights for everyday Americans.”
In January, Trump called him a “warrior for Free Speech.”
Carr, now the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, also wrote a chapter about the agency in Project 2025, the right-wing think-tank blueprint for Trump’s second administration. The agency, he wrote in the chapter’s first words, “should promote freedom of speech.”
Since entering the role, Carr has embraced Trump’s campaign against broadcasters who air critical coverage of his administration, investigated major networks for their diversity policies, and paved the way for ABC to remove comedian and Trump critic Jimmy Kimmel from his long-running late-night show in an apparent act of retaliation.
Carr now appears to be taking a victory lap, posting juvenile memes in response to questions from journalists about the comedian’s suspension.
“Jimmy Kimmel is the latest target of the Trump administration’s unconstitutional plan to silence its critics and control what the American people watch and read,” according to Christopher Anders, director of the democracy and technology division at the American Civil Liberties Union.
“This is beyond McCarthyism,” he said. “Trump officials are repeatedly abusing their power to stop ideas they don’t like, deciding who can speak, write, and even joke. The Trump administration’s actions, paired with ABC’s capitulation, represent a grave threat to our First Amendment freedoms.”
Throughout his 2024 campaign, Trump launched several lawsuits and legal threats against news organizations seeking billions of dollars in damages, commanded Republicans in Congress to vote against legislation that would protect journalists’ sources, and took advice from wealthy allies and right-wing groups who sought to block publicly funded media from getting a single public dollar.
He sued ABC News host George Stephanopoulos for making what he called “patently and demonstrably false” statements that he was found liable for rape in E Jean Carroll’s defamation trial. Days before Election Day, he sued CBS News for $10 billion, alleging that the network deceptively edited an interview with his rival Kamala Harris to unlawfully influence the election.
Carr, meanwhile, was signaling his alignment with Trump’s incoming agenda in right-wing media, amplifying conservative grievances and allegations that Democratic officials conspired with mainstream media outlets to suppress them.
After entering the role in January, Carr revived federal complaints against ABC, CBS and NBC that accused the broadcasters of political biases.
Carr has also launched investigations into diversity, equity and inclusion programs at communications companies, and publicly stated that major merger approvals will be conditioned on the president’s anti-DEI agenda.
He also appeared to shape the merger between Skydance Media and Paramount Global, the parent company for CBS, which had settled Trump’s lawsuit for $16 million. Weeks after the settlement was approved, Carr approved the merger.
Last year, Carr wrote on X that “the First Amendment prohibits government officials from coercing private parties into suppressing protected speech.”
A unanimous ruling from the Supreme Court last year also flatly stated that “government officials cannot attempt to coerce private parties in order to punish or suppress views that the government disfavors.”
This week, Carr came for Kimmel.
In an opening monologue this week, Kimmel addressed the waves of speculation and misinformation surrounding the killing of Charlie Kirk, the right-wing activist who was fatally shot at a college campus speaking event September 10.
“We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them, and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said.
On a podcast with right-wing influencer Benny Johnson Wednesday, Carr called Kimmel a “very, very serious issue right now for Disney,” ABC’s parent company.
“It’s time for them to step and say this garbage … isn’t something that we think serves the needs of our local communities,” he said.
The FCC is tasked with licensing TV and radio stations and ensuring that they’re operating in the “public interest” when broadcasting over public airwaves. It cannot wholly ban a news network for content its commissioners don’t like; the agency legally cannot invoke the “the power of censorship” to interfere “with the right of free speech.”
In 2019, Carr said the FCC does not have a “roving mandate to police speech in the name of ‘public interest.’” Carr is now arguing the agency can do just that.
Two days after Kimmel’s comments, Nexstar — the largest owner of local stations in the country — decided Kimmel’s monologue was so “offensive and insensitive” that broadcasters shouldn’t air him.
The company is also trying to purchase a major rival for $6.2 billion — which would require the FCC’s approval
Nexstar’s ABC affiliate stations cover nearly 40 percent of the national market. Shortly after Nexstar announced its stations would pull Kimmel’s show off the air, ABC/Disney announced that Kimmel would be suspended indefinitely.
Sinclair Broadcast Group, the largest of ABC’s affiliate groups, also objected to Kimmel’s statements, called on the comedian to apologize to Kirk’s family, and for ABC to make a “meaningful donation” to Kirk’s Turning Point USA.
On his Truth Social, the president called Kimmel’s suspension “great news,” and suggested NBC’s late-night hosts Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers were next.
In a news conference in England, Trump directly linked Carr to the president’s threats to TV licenses over coverage he doesn’t like.
“I would think maybe their license should be taken away. It will be up to Brendan Carr,” Trump said. “I think Brendan Carr is outstanding. He’s a patriot. He loves our country, and he’s a tough guy.”
Podcast Benny Johnson also took credit.
“This is what got Kimmel fired,” Johnson said about his podcast. “Right here.”
Democratic officials and advocacy groups have demanded Carr’s resignation and plan to open investigations into whether Trump directly intervened or colluded with companies to target constitutionally protected speech.
“This administration’s pursuit of an autocratic state is continuing to intensify at an alarming pace,” said Democracy Forward president Skye Perryman, whose organization is seeking communications from the government to know whether the administration had pressured media companies to stifle dissent.
“The public has the right to know whether senior FCC officials are engaging in conversations with outside parties that could lead to restrictions on speech and undermine freedom of expression,” she said.
In an interview Thursday, Carr said it would be “worthwhile” for his agency to “look into” ABC’s The View and other programs, citing potential violations of “equal time” or “equal opportunity” rules for broadcasters — none of which would apply to comedians.
“We’re in the midst of a massive shift in dynamics in the media ecosystem for lots of reasons, again, including the permission structure that President Trump’s election has provided,” Carr said in a separate interview with CNBC.
“And I would simply say we’re not done yet with seeing the consequences of that shift.”
