Trump Picks Brendan Carr as Next FCC Chair
President-Elect Donald Trump has chosen FCC commissioner Brendan Carr to be its next chairman.
Carr, who is the senior Republican member of the commission, was first nominated to the FCC in 2017 by Trump.
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“Commissioner Carr is a warrior for Free Speech, and has fought against the regulatory Lawfare that has stifled Americans’ Freedoms, and held back our Economy,” Trump said in a statement announcing the news. “He will end the regulatory onslaught that has been crippling America’s Job Creators and Innovators, and ensure that the FCC delivers for rural America.”
Carr made headlines earlier this month, just two days before the election, when he claimed that Kamala Harris‘ appearance on Saturday Night Live violated the “equal time” rule. For its part, NBC officially informed the FCC that the Democratic presidential candidate appeared on SNL “without charge” for one minute and 30 seconds, officially triggering a window for other campaigns to request time from the broadcaster. On that Sunday, the network gave Trump campaign time during its NASCAR and Sunday Night Football coverage in response to Harris’ SNL appearance.
In statements released Monday morning, Comcast Corporation, Nexstar and The National Association of Broadcaster congratulated Carr on his appointment.
Comcast chief legal officer Tom Reid said Carr’s “successful track record at the FCC and his extensive knowledge of the communications industry are vital to the continued success of America’s digital future.”
Nexstar chairman and CEO Perry Sook said Carr “is an outstanding choice who understands the needs of local broadcasters and we look forward to working with him during this transformational era.”
NAB president and CEO Curtis LeGeyt said Carr “has been a steadfast leader in holding Big Tech accountable and supporting policies that will allow local broadcast stations to better compete with these behemoths and thrive.”
Read Trump’s full statement about Carr, which was released Sunday, below.
I am pleased to announce that Commissioner Brendan Carr will be Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Commissioner Carr currently serves as the senior Republican on the FCC. Before that, he was the FCC’s General Counsel. I first nominated Commissioner Carr to the FCC in 2017, and he has been confirmed unanimously by the United States Senate three times. His current term runs through 2029 and, because of his great work, I will now be designating him as permanent Chairman.
Commissioner Carr is a warrior for Free Speech, and has fought against the regulatory Lawfare that has stifled Americans’ Freedoms, and held back our Economy. He will end the regulatory onslaught that has been crippling America’s Job Creators and Innovators, and ensure that the FCC delivers for rural America.
Commissioner Carr has served at the FCC since 2012, including as an Advisor to then FCC Chairman, Ajit Pai. Earlier in his career, Commissioner Carr worked as an attorney specializing in Appellate, Litigation, and Regulatory matters. Previously, Commissioner Carr clerked on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit for Judge Dennis Shedd. After attending Georgetown University for his undergrad, Commissioner Carr earned his J.D. Magna Cum Laude from the Catholic University of America’s Columbus School of Law where he served as an Editor of the Catholic University Law Review. Congratulations to Chairman Brendan Carr on a job well done. Lead us into a great future, Brendan!
Updated 7:54 a.m. Monday, Nov. 18: Added statements from Comcast, Nexstar and NAB.
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