Senate Prepares to Review Trump FCC Nominee Olivia Trusty

While a Republican-majority FCC is certain to arrive sooner rather than later, President Donald Trump’s pre-inauguration promise to nominate Olivia Trusty as the next GOP Commissioner on the FCC is coming to fruition.

The Senate Commerce Committee will hold a nomination hearing for Trusty on Wednesday, April 9, to fill the seat vacated by Jessica Rosenworcel.

Trusty previously served as Policy Director for the US Senate Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation, and the Internet, as well as the Subcommittee on Manufacturing, Trade, and Consumer Protection under Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS).

Earlier in her career, she handled telecommunications and technology issues for Senator Wicker, worked for the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection Subcommittee, and served as Legislative Assistant to Representative Bob Latta (R-OH). Trusty also held roles in the private sector with Verizon and Qwest. Trusty holds a Master’s degree in American Government from Georgetown University and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.

The committee meeting is scheduled to begin at 10a ET, with an Executive Session before moving to the nomination hearings for Trusty and NASA Administrator nominee Jared Isaacman. The meeting will be broadcast live on YouTube.

Her nomination is expected to advance to the full Senate for a confirmation hearing and vote. However, even if the process stalls, a Republican majority at the FCC is imminent. Democratic Commissioner Geoffrey Starks’ decision to step down before summer will give FCC Chairman Brendan Carr the votes needed to pursue changes to broadcast ownership caps and intensify scrutiny of license holders with active DEI initiatives, avoiding the kind of prolonged deadlock former President Joe Biden’s White House faced before the confirmation of Commissioner Anna Gomez in 2023.

Chairman Carr previously remarked, “Olivia has had a distinguished career already on Capitol Hill and in the private sector, including her service at both the Commerce Committee and the Armed Services Committee in the United States Senate. Her extensive knowledge, public sector experience, and keen intellect will serve her well at the agency. I look forward to welcoming her to the FCC as a colleague and to working together to deliver great results for the American people.”