Podcast Summary

Post Reports – "Brendan Carr, the FCC muscle behind Trump’s anti-media crusade"
Date: September 22, 2025
Host: Elahe Izadi
Guest: Scott Nover (Washington Post media reporter)

Overview:

This episode explores how Brendan Carr, the new chair of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), has become a central figure in the Trump administration’s escalating campaign against perceived media bias. The discussion focuses on Carr’s unprecedented intervention in the Jimmy Kimmel late-night controversy, his broader anti-media agenda, and the ramifications for free speech, media companies, and the operational boundaries of the FCC itself.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Jimmy Kimmel Controversy

• Background:

  • Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel made comments about the murder of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk, spurring conservative backlash.
  • Brendan Carr publicly threatened to act against ABC’s broadcast license if Kimmel was not dealt with.
  • Major ABC affiliates (Nexstar, Sinclair) pulled Kimmel, followed by an ABC announcement suspending the show indefinitely. (02:09-04:21)

• Elahe Izadi:

  "So what, ABC took Kimmel off the air because the FCC chair made a comment that sounded like a threat?" (04:21)

• Scott Nover:

  "That’s kind of the going theory...to many Trump critics and Carr critics and people who are just very concerned about free speech in America, this looked a lot like government overreach…" (04:27)

2. Carr’s Unprecedented Use of the FCC

• Carr’s Role:

  • Once a relatively apolitical bureaucrat, Carr has increasingly adopted a hardline stance, focusing FCC action on media companies allegedly censoring conservative viewpoints.
  • Prominent examples include threats to NPR/PBS, inquiries into YouTube’s religious content policies, and blocking mergers with ties to DEI practices. (08:20-09:13)

• Scott Nover:

  "He has had a kind of a role of threatener or enforcer for Donald Trump." (08:53)

3. What the FCC Normally Does (and Doesn’t Do)

• Scope and Powers:

  • The FCC’s main job is regulating broadcast spectrum (assigning frequencies, approving mergers) and, historically, content-related doctrines like the fairness doctrine, now defunct.
  • The commission does not regulate cable news or dictate content, with its most direct power relating to local broadcast licenses, rarely revoked for editorial reasons. (11:32-14:48)

• Scott Nover:

  "The commission doesn’t even regulate cable networks like CNN or MSNBC or Fox News. They really just regulate local broadcast stations…" (11:51)

4. Tactics and Chilling Effect

• Indirect Pressure:

  • Carr’s apparent threats, although not formal FCC directives, exploit the vulnerabilities of networks with business before the FCC, paralleling tactics in regulatory overreach.
  • Major business before the FCC, such as Nexstar’s $6.2 billion merger, gives Carr’s words disproportionate weight. (13:10-14:20)

• Scott Nover:

  "Here comes Brendan Carr making these comments about Kimmel and what will happen if companies don’t make changes." (14:06)

5. Reaction from the Left and Right

• Democratic Response:

  • Condemnation, calls for Carr’s resignation, citing threats to First Amendment rights.

• Conservative Pushback:

  • High-profile Republicans (Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, others) criticize Carr for overstepping.
  • Notable quote:
    • Ted Cruz (via podcast, 17:05):

      "I like Brendan Carr. He’s a good guy…But what he said there is dangerous as hell."

    • Rand Paul (Meet the Press, 17:21):

      "Absolutely inappropriate. Brendan Carr has got no business weighing in on this."

• Scott Nover:

  "They’re saying that this is an affront to free speech and that the FCC shouldn't be pressuring private media companies to make editorial decisions." (17:44)

6. Trump and Carr's Justification

• Carr’s Defense:
  • Claims results are due to free market response, not government coercion.
  • Trump has called for removal of other late-night hosts (Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers). (18:11-18:30)

7. Broader Context and Ongoing Media War

• Trump’s Anti-Media Crusade:

  • Previous lawsuits against media, efforts to defund NPR/PBS, barring reporters, and Pentagon restrictions on journalists emphasize executive branch hostility to press. (18:48-19:36)

• Scott Nover:

  "I think Carr, in this role at the FCC, is just carrying out this sentiment to the best of his ability." (19:34)

8. What’s Next?

• Potential Expansion of FCC Powers:
  • Legal observers suggest Carr may soon push for actual license revocations, potentially precipitating a Supreme Court showdown over administrative state powers.
  • Media companies and Congress are on high alert for precedent-setting moves. (15:21-16:06, 19:41-20:11)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Brendan Carr on podcast (implicit threat, 03:51):

  "We can do this the easy way or the hard way. These companies can find ways to change conduct to take action, frankly, on Kimmel, or there’s going to be additional work for the FCC ahead."

• Scott Nover (on Carr’s evolution, 06:04):

  "He has evolved over time to have a more expansive view of what the FCC does and what it should have a say in."

• Elahe Izadi (summarizing the situation, 04:21):

  "So what, ABC took Kimmel off the air because the FCC chair made a comment that sounded like a threat?"

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Opening context and Kimmel controversy: 00:01–04:53
• Brendan Carr’s career evolution and Project 2025: 06:04–08:12
• Current FCC role and actions: 08:20–09:13
• FCC historical and legal context: 11:32–15:21
• Political reactions from Democrats and Republicans: 16:06–18:07
• Trump and Carr’s defenses, expansion of state power: 18:11–20:11
• Closing news (Disney reinstates Kimmel): 20:20

Final Update

After the recording, ABC's parent company Disney announced Kimmel would return, framing the suspension as a matter of timing and sensitivity rather than external pressure. This follows mounting backlash from viewers and Hollywood figures. (20:20)

This episode vividly details not only the political and regulatory drama surrounding Carr’s FCC but also the broader battle over speech, media independence, and the growing power struggles between government and the press during Trump’s second term.