Trump's FCC Chairman Doesn't Know What Censorship Actually Is

Ever since Donald Trump made his pick to run the FCC, I’ve been writing and talking to anyone who might listen about the danger that Brendan Carr poses to free speech and the public interest.

Over the Thanksgiving weekend, I published an Op-Ed in The Hill calling on anyone who cares about free speech — whether from inside or outside of government — to speak out against Carr’s plans to undermine it.

This got Carr’s attention, and he came after me and Free Press on X (where else?). I won’t dignify his misleading tweets with a link, but I do have a response.

Brendan Carr’s troubling views on the First Amendment

Either Carr doesn’t understand what the First Amendment is for or what real censorship is, or he’s just lying to the American people — either of which is a big problem for someone who’s going to be America's top communications regulator.

The First Amendment exists to protect people from government censorship and intrusion. Brendan Carr wants to use the government’s power to shut down the speech of broadcasters who question and critique Trump. He wants to force private companies to carry the hate speech and violent threats of his far-right friends, yet he also wants the incoming administration to investigate journalists and fact checkers. He wants to make way for dangerous hoaxes all over the public airwaves. 

That’s why I felt compelled to exercise my own free-speech rights to speak out against him. As a private citizen, I’m free to have opinions about offensive content. I’m free to speak out against racism, xenophobia, misogyny and other forms of bigotry that make free speech more difficult for groups routinely targeted by such hate.

But Brendan Carr — a Project 2025 co-author — isn’t speaking as a private citizen. He’s a government official. As such, he’s responsible for upholding the First Amendment and ensuring that the government doesn’t censor people and businesses. My piece in The Hill articulates a number of examples where Carr has proposed FCC actions that would do just that. I also cite instances where he’s refused to denounce suggestions that he use the FCC's powers to carry out Donald Trump's personal vendettas against journalists.

The First Amendment says “Congress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press.” And that goes for the FCC, too. Carr is responsible for making sure the government does not restrict the speech of private actors, that it does not quash dissent, and that scarce public airwaves aren't used to endanger people. And I’m responsible for holding him accountable to that oath, which is what my Op-Ed does.

I stand by it, and I won’t be bullied into silence.

Help Free Press keep fighting to protect the First Amendment: Donate today.