On Sunday, President-elect Donald Trump announced Brendan Carr as his pick for the next Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), starting in January.
Carr, the senior Republican member of the FCC, was originally nominated to the commission by Trump in 2017 and has served as its General Counsel.
In his statement, Trump highlighted Carr’s extensive experience and bipartisan support, noting that Carr has been confirmed unanimously by the Senate three times.
“Because of his great work, I will now be designating him as permanent Chairman,” Trump stated, emphasizing Carr’s ongoing term, which runs through 2029.
Trump praised Carr as “a warrior for Free Speech,” acknowledging his efforts to counter what he described as regulatory overreach stifling Americans’ freedoms and economic growth.
Trump added, “He will put an end to the regulatory onslaught that has crippled America’s job creators and innovators, and he will ensure that the FCC delivers results for rural America.”
Carr has been with the FCC since 2012, serving as an advisor to former FCC Chairman Ajit Pai. His legal background includes expertise in appellate, litigation, and regulatory matters. Early in his career, Carr clerked for Judge Dennis Shedd on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
He earned his undergraduate degree from Georgetown University and graduated magna cum laude with a J.D. from the Catholic University of America’s Columbus School of Law, where he was an editor for the Catholic University Law Review.
Trump concluded his statement with a congratulatory note: “Congratulations to Chairman Brendan Carr on a job well done. Lead us into a great future, Brendan!”
Carr expressed his gratitude in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday night, saying he is “humbled and honored to serve as Chairman of the FCC.”
Carr recently made headlines earlier this month when he criticized Saturday Night Live for violating FCC equal-time rules by featuring Vice President Kamala Harris as a guest without offering the same opportunity to Trump.
In response to the backlash and the potential regulatory scrutiny, NBC conceded and allotted airtime to Trump during several of its major broadcasts, including Sunday Night Football.
With Carr at the helm, the FCC is expected to focus on reducing regulatory burdens, promoting free speech, and advancing policies that foster innovation and broadband expansion, particularly in underserved rural areas.
Carr’s appointment signals a continuation of Trump’s commitment to reshaping the agency with a focus on conservative values and a free-market approach.
