politics
March 15, 2026
Democrats blast FCC Chair Carr's broadcast license threats as anti-First Amendment, 'totalitarian'
Carr on Saturday blasted broadcasters shortly after President Donald Trump called reports that Iran struck five U.S. tanker planes "fake news."

TL;DR
- FCC Chair Brendan Carr threatened broadcasters with license revocation for coverage of the Iran war, aligning with President Trump's "fake news" accusations.
- Democratic lawmakers and free speech advocates condemned Carr's threats as authoritarian and a violation of the First Amendment.
- Carr invoked Supreme Court precedent from Red Lion Broadcasting Co. v. FCC to justify the FCC's authority to revoke licenses for not serving the public interest.
- Previous Trump administration actions against media companies over content are noted, including incidents involving "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" and "The View."
- The threats primarily target local TV broadcasters, as cable networks and print media are not subject to FCC licensing rules.
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