With Trump Designation, Brendan Carr Is Now FCC Chairman

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As promised, President Donald Trump signed an order officially designating Brendan Carr as the new FCC Chairman. With the change, former Chair Jessica Rosenworcel formally resigned from the Commission, as is tradition.

Carr steps into the leadership role without requiring Senate approval.

He was first appointed to the FCC by President Trump in 2017 and has been confirmed unanimously by the Senate three times. Before his appointment, he served as the agency’s general counsel and worked as an attorney at Wiley Rein LLP. Carr also clerked for Judge Dennis Shedd on the US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

In a statement, Chairman Carr said, “I am deeply grateful to President Trump and honored by his decision to designate me as Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission. I have had the privilege of working at the FCC for over a dozen years now, including serving previously as the agency’s General Counsel, and I am humbled by the opportunity to lead the FCC.”

“The FCC has important work ahead—on issues ranging from tech and media regulation to unleashing new opportunities for jobs and growth through agency actions on spectrum, infrastructure, and the space economy. We will also advance America’s national security interests and protect consumers. I am eager to accelerate the FCC’s work on these and other fronts.”

“I look forward to collaborating with the Trump Administration, my Commission colleagues, and the FCC’s talented staff as well as Congress to deliver great results for the American people.”

Ahead of taking his new position, Carr outlined a comprehensive agenda focusing on media trust, regulatory reforms, and technological oversight.

In a recent interview, Carr emphasized the need to address declining public trust in media, suggesting that the FCC will reassess broadcasters’ obligations to operate in the public interest, saying, “Broadcast licenses are not sacred cows.”

Carr will likely revisit previous FCC decisions, particularly regarding media ownership and foreign influence. He highlighted the expedited approval of Audacy’s restructuring plan, which involved significant investment from entities linked to George Soros. Carr described this process as “unprecedented,” criticizing the bypassing of established procedures without public or federal agency input.

As for the Commission’s newly vacated seat, President Trump announced Olivia Trusty as his nominee for FCC Commissioner.

1 COMMENT

  1. “He highlighted the expedited approval of Audacy’s restructuring plan”

    It wasn’t “expedited.” It took the same amount of time as similar approvals.

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