[Updated] Carr Threatens Broadcast Licenses Over Iran War Coverage

WASHINGTON—Following new criticism from President Trump on the news media's coverage of the Iran War, FCC Chair Brendan Carr has reposted Trump’s attack on reporting by the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal and issued a stern warning to broadcasters that running “fake news” could jeopardize their licenses.

“Broadcasters that are running hoaxes and news distortions - also known as the fake news - have a chance now to correct course before their license renewals come up,” Carr wrote on March 14 on X. “The law is clear. Broadcasters must operate in the public interest, and they will lose their licenses if they do not.”

“And frankly, changing course is in their own business interests since trust in legacy media has now fallen to an all time low of just 9% and are ratings disasters,” he added. “The American people have subsidized broadcasters to the tune of billions of dollars by providing free access to the nation’s airwaves…The public has lost faith and confidence in the media. And we can’t allow that to happen.”

In response to Carr's post, Senator Elizabeth Warren wrote "Constitutional law 101: it’s illegal for the government to censor free speech it just doesn’t like about Trump’s Iran war. This threat is straight out of the authoritarian playbook. x.com/brendancarrfcc."

Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), member of the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, also sent a letter to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr, urging him to resign over his latest social media post threatening to revoke broadcasters’ licenses.

Senator Markey highlighted the post as an extraordinary abuse of FCC authority and a clear violation of the First Amendment, as well as the Trump administration’s latest authoritarian attempt to weaponize the FCC’s statutory authority to censor the media.

In the letter, Senator Markey wrote, “Your post on Saturday demonstrated your continued effort to turn the FCC into Trump’s personal speech police. … Your Saturday post is not an aberration. It is the latest and most dangerous step in a sustained campaign to use the FCC’s licensing authority as a weapon against broadcasters and journalists whose coverage displeases the Trump administration. … The FCC’s credibility depends on its willingness to exercise its authority on the merits, not at the direction of the President, and not as an instrument of retribution against journalism. You have once again shown that you are unwilling to maintain that independence and uphold your sworn oath to defend the U.S. Constitution, and I once again call on you to resign.”

FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez added her voice to the critics.

“The FCC can issue threats all day long, but it is powerless to carry them out. Such threats violate the First Amendment and will go nowhere," she said in a statement on Sunday. "Broadcasters should continue covering the news, fiercely and independently, without fear of government pressure.”

On Sunday night, the president ramped up his criticism of the media, accusing the "Radical Leftwing Press" of having "no credibility," and charging it with "treason" in a post on his Truth Social account.

Trump also endorsed Carr's threat to revoke broadcast licenses over news coverage of the war in Iran, calling media organizations “Corrupt and Highly Unpatriotic” in a Truth Social post.

“They get Billions of Dollars of FREE American Airwaves, and use it to perpetuate LIES, both in News and almost all of their Shows, including the Late Night Morons, who get gigantic Salaries for horrible Ratings,” Trump wrote.

“As I used to say in The Apprentice, ‘FIRED,’” he added.

Although the FCC regulates broadcast licenses, it has far less ability to control cable news. That frustration was voiced by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth during a briefing last week when he lambasted CNN's coverage of the war, implying that Paramount—CNN's new owner—will provide more favorable coverage to the Trump administration.

“The sooner David Ellison takes over that network, the better," he said.

TV Tech will add more comments as they come in.