Brendan Carr, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), told a Senate committee on Wednesday that the agency is not independent, shortly before the word was removed from its online mission statement. The declaration has raised concerns about a power grab by the White House under Donald Trump, who has sought greater control over independent agencies since returning to office in January.
During a hearing before the Senate commerce, science, and transportation committee, Carr stated that the FCC “is not an independent agency, formally speaking.” According to a screenshot captured by Axios, the FCC had previously described itself as “an independent US government agency overseen by Congress” on its website. That description was altered during Carr’s testimony to remove the word “independent.”
Democratic senators challenged Carr on his past comments regarding late-night host Jimmy Kimmel. In September, Carr was accused of threatening TV networks that broadcast content critical of Trump, specifically after Kimmel made remarks about the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Carr told a conservative podcaster that networks could “change conduct and take action, frankly, on Kimmel” or face “additional work for the FCC.”
Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota asked Carr whether it was appropriate to use his position to threaten companies broadcasting political satire. Carr responded by citing the public interest standard, a vague principle dating back to a 1934 federal law. “I think any licensee that operates on the public airwaves has a responsibility to comply with the public interest standard,” he said.
Massachusetts senator Ed Markey criticised Carr for the FCC’s investigation of a San Francisco broadcaster, calling it “government censorship, plain and simple.” Carr defended the probe, saying broadcasters would be “held accountable to the public interest, to broadcast hoax rules, to the news distortion policy.”
Wisconsin Democrat Tammy Baldwin labelled Carr “a parrot for President Trump” who has “diminished the independence of the FCC.”
