FCC Chair Brendan Carr threatened to revoke broadcasters' licenses over Iran war coverage, a day after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth singled out CNN and rooted for a friendlier owner.
The big picture: President Trump has taken credit for "reshaping" the American media landscape via intimidation, regulatory leverage and policy pressure that's cast a shadow over newsroom autonomy.
- Now, facing a war with dismal polling and a muddled message, the administration is turning its fire on reporters and threatening news outlets.
The latest: Trump said on Truth Social Sunday evening he is "thrilled" that Carr is "looking at the licenses" of some "Highly Unpatriotic 'News' Organizations."
Driving the news: Hegseth scolded reporters during his Friday briefing on the war and targeted CNN, saying "the sooner David Ellison takes over that network, the better."
- Ellison's Paramount is seeking to acquire CNN parent Warner Bros. Discovery, a deal that requires the Trump administration's approval.
- Hegseth criticized a CNN story that cited multiple sources who said the administration underestimated Iran's willingness to close the critical Strait of Hormuz.
What they're saying: CNN CEO Mark Thompson said in a Friday statement that the network stands by its journalism.
- "Politicians have an obvious motive for claiming that journalism which raises questions about their decisions is false," his statement read.
Zoom out: Carr has emerged as a top regulatory attack dog for Trump, re-upping his threats to strip licenses from broadcasters who are not operating in the "public interest."
- He warned broadcasters "running hoaxes and news distortions" to "correct course" Saturday, resharing the president's claim on Truth Social that The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and the broader "Media" want the U.S. "to lose the war."
- In an exclusive interview with CBS News on Saturday, Carr doubled down, saying that licenses are not a "property right."
Friction point: "Let's be direct: What Chair Carr is describing is government control of the press," said Tara Puckey, CEO of the Radio Television Digital News Association.
- "Journalists aren't intimidated by a bully with a briefcase," she added in a statement, urging reporters to keep doing their jobs.
- The FCC and White House did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment.
Context: Though the FCC does not license national networks, it does license the local stations that carry their programming. Cable networks like CNN fall outside the FCC's authority.
- Public interest communications attorney Andrew Jay Schwartzman tells Axios that Carr's "real hammer" is the "implicit threat" of not giving broadcasters the regulatory relief that they want.
The other side: FCC commissioner Anna Gomez, the lone Democrat on the commission, posted on X that Carr's threats "violate the First Amendment and will go nowhere. Broadcasters should continue covering the news, fiercely and independently, without fear of government pressure."
- She has maintained the FCC lacks the authority to revoke licenses over content the administration dislikes. But the threat itself "is the point," she told Axios last fall.
- It's evident the pressure alone can shape corporate decisions, especially as massive media mergers come before federal officials.
- Trump shared a graphic on Truth Social Saturday gloating over media world changes under his watch, including the appointment of a CBS News bias ombudsman — a commitment Skydance made when seeking approval to merge with Paramount.
Of note: Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) said he opposes "the heavy hand of government no matter who's wielding it" when asked about Carr's comments on Fox News' "The Sunday Briefing."
- "So no, I'd rather the federal government stay out of the private sector as much as possible. And really, the federal government's role is protect our freedoms, protect our constitutional rights."
Threat level: First Amendment advocacy group Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression also denounced Carr's "warning" as "outrageous."
- The organization cautioned in a statement that "[w]hen the government demands the press become a state mouthpiece under the threat of punishment, something has gone very wrong."
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Editor's note: This story has been updated with comments from President Trump, FCC commissioner Anna Gomez and Sen. Ron Johnson.
