Sen. Ron Johnson strayed from the party line as he criticized Trump’s raging war against the media‘s coverage of the actual war.
The MAGA loyalist and Wisconsin lawmaker appeared on Fox News’ The Sunday Briefing and was questioned about Federal Communications Commission chairman Brendan Carr‘s threat to revoke certain broadcasting licenses over their coverage of the war with Iran.
“Obviously, there’s a lot of criticism on the very news reporting that the administration is unhappy with. But do you think it’s the role of the government to police that kind of coverage from where they sit?” host Jacqui Heinrich asked Johnson.
In a rare anti-Trump sentiment, Johnson, 70, firmly responded: “I’m a big supporter of the First Amendment. I do not like the heavy hand of government, no matter who’s wielding it.”
He continued: “So, no, I would rather the federal government stay out of the private sector as much as possible. And really, the federal government’s role is to protect our freedoms, protect our constitutional rights.”
Carr’s threat to the media came on Saturday, when he shared a lengthy post on X in response to a complaint made by Trump about “an intentionally misleading headline by the Fake News Media” in regard to his Iran war.
The FCC chair was quick to offer his boss a solution, writing in part: “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.”
California Gov. Gavin Newsom summarized Carr’s message in his own post, writing: “If Trump doesn’t like your coverage of the war, his FCC will pull your broadcast license. That is flagrantly unconstitutional.”
Unhappy with some reporting, Trump seems to have taken coverage of Iran into his own hands. White House social media accounts have been preternaturally busy churning out memes about the war, which even hard-line MAGA supporters have branded “cringe.”
According to White House spokesperson Anna Kelly, the bizarre mix of TV clips, fan edits, and movie parodies is a direct response to the failings of ‘Fake News.’
“The legacy media wants us to apologize for highlighting the United States Military’s incredible success, but the White House will continue showcasing the many examples of Iran’s ballistic missiles, production facilities, and dreams of owning a nuclear weapon being destroyed in real time,” she stated.
The president and Carr’s comments follow Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, a former Fox News contributor, who banned press photographers from attending press briefings this week. The reported reason was that unflattering photos were taken of Hegseth, though the Department of Defense claimed it was due to space constraints.
The Trump administration’s focus on controlling the media narrative of the president’s unauthorized war comes as more than 1,200 people in Iran have died, including children who died after a strike on an elementary school on the first day of the war.
Hundreds more have died in Lebanon, and at least 13 U.S. soldiers have died since Feb. 28.
