President-elect Donald Trump has picked senior GOP Federal Communications Commissioner Brendan Carr to lead the agency, he announced Sunday night.
Calling him a “warrior for Free Speech,” Trump enthusiastically praised Carr, 45, who he first nominated to serve as an FCC commissioner in 2017 during his first term in the White House.
“His current term runs through 2029 and, because of his great work, I will now be designating him as permanent Chairman,” Trump, 78, said in a statement.
“Commissioner Carr is a warrior for Free Speech, and has fought against the regulatory Lawfare that stifled Americans’ Freedoms and held back our economy,” he added. “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 can get started as FCC chairman right away — forgoing the typical Senate approval process for cabinet picks — once Trump enters office since he is on the commission already and was unanimously confirmed to a new five-year term last year, Politico reported.
“Thank you, President Trump!” Carr wrote in a statement on X Sunday night. “I am humbled and honored to serve as Chairman of the FCC. Now we get to work.”
“We must dismantle the censorship cartel and restore free speech rights for everyday Americans,” he later tweeted.
The FCC is an independent agency that regulates interstate and international communications with two Republicans and two Democrats serving as commissioners.
Jessica Rosenworcel currently leads the agency under outgoing President Biden.
Carr, who has also been nominated by Biden, has been unanimously confirmed by the US Senate three times. He’s served at the FCC since 2012, including a stint as advisor to then-FCC chair Ajit Pai.
In the months leading up to the presidential election, Carr was critical of major networks’ alleged preferential treatment of Vice President Kamala Harris.
He slammed Harris’ “Saturday Night Live” debut on NBC as a “clear and blatant effort” to skirt the Equal Time rule.
NBC is under stricter rules because its stations are licensed by the FCC to broadcast television. The network ended up giving Trump free airtime by putting up campaign advertisements during a NASCAR race and NFL coverage.
Carr, who is a lawyer, also called on CBS News to release the full transcript between the news organization and Harris amid accusations that “60 Minutes” edited the sit-down to make Harris look better.
CBS News strongly denied any wrongdoing.
Carr has also voiced support for Elon Musk’s efforts to clinch subsidies for broadband internet services.
“Congratulations to Chairman Brendan Carr on a job well done,” Trump wrote in his Truth Social post. “Lead us into a great future, Brendan!”
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