He is “a warrior for Freedom of Expression,” Donald Trump said on Sunday in the press release announcing this appointment. Brendan Carr immediately reacted on expression of the Americans. Brendan Carr has worked at the FCC since 2012, and has been one of its commissioners since 2017, appointed to the position by Donald Trump during his first term. He had previously worked as a lawyer specializing in regulatory issues.
“Facebook, Google, Apple, Microsoft and others played a central role in the censorship cartel,” he had already declared on Friday, also on the X network. “The Orwellian organization called NewsGuard, along with ‘fact-checking’ groups and advertising agencies, have helped enforce one-sided narratives. The censorship cartel must be dismantled,” he added.
Internet in rural areas. For Donald Trump, Brendan Carr “will end the regulatory assault that has paralyzed American job creators and innovators, and ensure that the FCC meets the expectations of rural America,” he said. he further assured in his press release. Internet access in rural areas is the subject that earned Brendan Carr the support of Elon Musk, appointed by Donald Trump to head a commission for “governmental efficiency”.
In 2022, in fact, the FCC revoked a subsidy of $885 million which had been granted at the end of 2020 to Starlink, a satellite internet access provider, and one of Elon Musk’s companies. This funding was supposed to bring high-speed internet to rural homes and businesses, but Starlink and the other company benefiting from these funds “failed to demonstrate that the providers were capable of providing the promised service” , the FCC had indicated.
Brendan Carr then spoke out against this decision. On October 14, while the electoral campaign was in full swing, he mentioned this decision in an article published in the Wall Street Journal : “In my opinion, this is nothing more than a regulatory retaliatory measure against one of the main targets of the left: Mr. Musk. »
“Project 2025”. Brendan Carr is also the author of the telecoms chapter of “Project 2025”, a nearly 900-page document developed by the conservative think tank Heritage Foundation, and road map for the overhaul of the federal state under Donald Trump . “The FCC must change course” and “achieve four main goals: regain control of Big Tech, promote national security, unleash economic prosperity, and ensure accountability and good governance of the FCC,” he wrote.
His appointment could also have consequences in the media field. During his campaign, Donald Trump threatened to withdraw their broadcasting licenses from the CBS and ABC channels, which he accused of favoring Kamala Harris, very complex procedures which would go through the FCC.
Julie CHABANAS
What specific initiatives do you plan to implement to balance freedom of expression and regulation of content on social media platforms during your tenure at the FCC?
Thank you for taking the time to speak with us today about your recent appointment as the new head of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) by President Donald Trump. Let’s begin by discussing your stance on freedom of expression. As the President referred to you as a “warrior for Freedom of Expression,” can you expand on what this means to you and how you plan to protect it during your tenure at the FCC?
As you are well aware, there has been a dialogue about the role of technology companies in censorship and their influence on public discourse. What are your thoughts on the responsibility of these companies regarding censorship, and how do you plan to address any perceived bias within these platforms?
Moving on to rural broadband access, this is an issue that has been gaining attention in recent years. What steps do you plan to take to ensure that rural communities have access to high-speed internet, and what role do you see the FCC playing in this effort?
In relation to internet access in rural areas, there have been concerns about the FCC’s decision to revoke a subsidy of $885 million from Starlink, a company owned by Elon Musk. As a supporter of this endeavor, how do you plan to address these issues and ensure that rural communities are not left behind in terms of internet access?
you are also the author of the telecoms chapter in “Project 2025,” a document outlining conservative goals for the federal government. Can you discuss how your views on media accountability and regulation will influence your actions at the FCC? What measures do you plan to take to promote national security while maintaining the freedom of the press?
