FCC chair threatens to revoke broadcasters' licenses amid Trump comments on Iran coverage

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr on Saturday renewed his criticism and threats against broadcasters over their content, this time with President Donald Trump’s criticism of Iran war reporting as the backdrop

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr on Saturday renewed his criticism and threats against broadcasters over their content, this time with President Donald Trump’s criticism of Iran war reporting as the backdrop.

Broadcasters who air “fake news” must “correct course before their license renewals come up,” Carr posted on X, in remarks accompanied by a screenshot of Trump’s Truth Social post earlier in the day accusing the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and “other lowlife ‘papers’ and media” of “terrible reporting” on the U.S. and Israel’s war with Iran.

“Broadcasters must operate in the public interest, and they will lose their licenses if they do not,” Carr wrote.

The FCC issues licenses for television and radio broadcasters, but does not license TV or radio networks or other organizations stations have relationships with, unless they are licensees. The agency also does not regulate news outlets that have only online and print distribution, such as the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal.

Carr has repeatedly said he wants to enforce the FCC’s public interest obligation for broadcasters that use the public airwaves, which he says the FCC has failed to properly deploy for decades.