Trump’s top media crony is threatening to revoke networks’ broadcast licenses if they do not cover the president’s unauthorized war in a way that satisfies what he’s calling “public interest.”
The Trump administration has been obsessive over headlines portraying the war in an unfavorable light. Federal Communications Chairman Brendan Carr weighed in on the matter on Saturday, responding to a post from President Trump, who was also complaining about headlines.
“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,” Carr, 47, wrote. “The law is clear. Broadcasters must operate in the public interest, and they will lose their licenses if they do not.”
“Time for change!” he threatened.
Carr’s threat received swift backlash online.
“If Trump doesn’t like your coverage of the war, his FCC will pull your broadcast license. That is flagrantly unconstitutional,” California Gov. Gavin Newsom posted.
“This is a clear directive to provide positive war coverage or else licenses may not be renewed. This is worse than the comedian stuff, and by a lot. The stakes here are much higher,” Hawaii Democratic Sen. Brian Schatz posted. “He’s not talking about late night shows, he’s talking about how a war is covered.”
Schatz added in another post, “Somebody scolding you about your choice of words is annoying but not as big of a deal, free speech wise, as the Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission threatening to revoke broadcast licenses of companies that don’t give positive coverage of a war in the Middle East.”
“FCC to journalists: cover the Iran war the way the president prefers or lose your broadcast license,” First Amendment lawyer Adam Steinbaugh said.
The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression also slammed Carr’s threats in a lengthy statement. The more than two-decade-old organization, which champions free speech, called Carr’s words “outrageous” on Saturday.
“Brendan Carr’s authoritarian warning — that networks risk their broadcasting licenses for Iran war reporting that the government doesn’t like — is outrageous,“ the organization wrote. ”When the government demands the press become a state mouthpiece under the threat of punishment, something has gone very wrong."
Earlier Saturday, Trump, 79, made a vaguely threatening Truth Social post about all the “media reforms” he has been engaged in, including getting several broadcast networks to settle lawsuits with him for millions of dollars, defunding NPR, and “saving” TikTok.
He also claimed credit for several network personalities leaving their roles, including former CNN anchor Jim Acosta and former NBC anchors Lester Holt and Chuck Todd.
Trump administration officials have been nonstop complaining about the coverage of the president’s war.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has been attacking reporters who dare to question the Trump administration on the war.
She went on a rampage against CNN for reporting on the Trump administration’s lack of planning around Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz as a result of the war. In several posts, she demanded that the reporter issue a correction for the story.
Department of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has taken an excessive amount of time to complain about the media’s coverage of the war. On Friday, he lashed out at CNN for the same story Leavitt fumed about.
“The sooner David Ellison takes over that network, the better,” Hegseth said in reference to the MAGA-friendly Paramount boss who is poised to take over CNN’s parent company.
The former Fox News weekend host then offered “a few suggestions” about the banners networks have been using to describe Trump’s war.
“People look up at the TV, and they see banners. They see headlines. I used to be in that business, and I know that everything is written intentionally,” Hegseth complained.
In perhaps the most jaw-dropping complaint from the administration about the media’s coverage of the war, Hegseth last week lamented the fact that networks were covering the deaths of U.S. troops.
“When a few drones get through or tragic things happen, it’s front page news,” he ranted. “I get it. The press only wants to make the president look bad.”
