[속보] Trump nominates ‘Musk confidant’ Brendan Carr to head Federal Communications Commission

Brendan Carr, Commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). AFP Yonhap News

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump nominated Brendan Carr (45) as chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The New York Times (NYT) reported that Carr could reorganize the FCC and use it as a political weapon for the right.

According to Reuters on the 17th (local time), President-elect Trump issued a statement that day, saying, “Carr is a fighter for press freedom and fought against regulatory laws that suppress American freedom and the economy.” President-elect Trump appointed Karl as a Republican member of the FCC in 2017 during his first administration. Carr was appointed as a committee member again last year.

According to the NYT, Carr wrote a chapter on the FCC in ‘Project 2025,’ a report published last year by the conservative think tank Heritage Foundation and considered a collection of President-elect Trump’s pledges. In it, he argued that the FCC should also regulate tech giants such as Apple, Meta, Google, and Microsoft. Last week, Carr wrote on social networking service (SNS) X (formerly Twitter), “The censorship cartel must be dismantled.”

However, some point out that because the big tech companies listed by Carr in Project 2025 are not telecommunications carriers, the FCC may need to revise the law to regulate them. The NYT reported that experts predict that Carr will significantly reorganize the FCC, test the legal limits of the FCC’s authority, and engage in a fierce battle with Silicon Valley.

Carr is known to have a friendly relationship with Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Musk is said to have recently expressed support for the nomination of Karl as FCC chairman at the Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, President-elect Trump’s home. Carr supported Musk’s call for the government to subsidize broadband internet services, and also criticized Democratic candidate Vice President Kamala Harris’ appearance before the presidential election. Musk began following Carr’s X (formerly Twitter) account last July.

Carr is a former lawyer who became FCC general counsel in 2012. Because he is an existing member, he can begin work as soon as President-elect Trump’s term begins in January next year.

The FCC is a federal agency that enforces broadcasting and communications policies and oversees radio resource management and broadcasting and communications business regulation. Independence from the government is guaranteed, and the committee is comprised of five members with five-year terms. The number of committee members belonging to the same political party is limited to three or less.

How will Brendan Carr’s relationships with⁣ influential figures like Elon ⁤Musk⁤ affect the ​independence of the ⁤FCC and‌ its decision-making processes?

1. Brendan Carr, the new Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), has been ⁣described as both a fighter for press freedom and someone who could potentially use the⁢ FCC as ‌a​ political weapon for‌ the right. How do you think his‍ appointment will affect the role and function of the FCC under President-elect Trump’s administration?

2. In ‌his work with the Heritage Foundation, Carr advocated for‌ the regulation ⁣of tech giants like Apple, Meta, Google, and Microsoft by the ⁤FCC.⁢ What challenges do ‌you see ⁤in⁤ implementing ‍such regulation given that‍ these companies are not traditionally considered telecommunications carriers?

3. Carr has been​ praised by Tesla CEO Elon Musk and criticized Vice President-elect Kamala ⁤Harris. ​How ⁤will these relationships impact his ability to lead the FCC ‍and carry out ​its duties⁤ impartially?

4. ⁢The FCC has historically been seen as an independent agency. How do​ you think Carr’s friendly relationship with Musk and ⁢his outspoken views on ​social media could affect this perception of independence?

5. What do you predict will be the ‌FCC’s ‍top priorities under Carr’s leadership, and how⁢ might they differ from⁢ those of previous chairpersons?⁢ Additionally, how might the commission’s focus on ‍these priorities impact issues like ⁣net neutrality, broadband ‌infrastructure expansion, and media ​consolidation?