FCC chair suggests agency is not independent amid fears of Trump power grab

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is not an “independent” agency, its chairman suggested on Wednesday, as the word was scrubbed from its online mission statement.

Brendan Carr’s declaration to senators raised concerns of a further power grab by the White House, amid concerns surrounding efforts by Donald Trump and his officials to exert greater control over independent agencies since his return to office in January.

The FCC, Carr told the Senate’s commerce, science, and transportation committee on Wednesday, “is not an independent agency, formally speaking”.

Shortly before Carr spoke, the FCC recorded its status as “an independent US government agency overseen by Congress” in a mission statement on its website, according to a screenshot captured by Axios. During his testimony, however, the word “independent” was removed.

Carr is a vocal Trump supporter, and was accused in September of threatening TV networks that broadcast content the president did not like, notably ABC, after critical comments about Trump made by late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel.

Kimmel’s show was reinstated after a short suspension, prompting more tirades from Trump that continued into last month.

During Wednesday’s hearing, Democratic senators challenged Carr on comments he made related to Kimmel. “We can do this the easy way or the hard way,” Carr told a conservative podcaster amid rightwing attacks over comments Kimmel had made following the death of Charlie Kirk. “These companies can find ways to change conduct and take action, frankly, on Kimmel or, you know, there’s going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.”

Kimmel had said that the “Maga gang” was “desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and with everything they can to score political points from it”. The comments came before charging documents alleged the shooter had left-leaning viewpoints.

Questioning Carr on Wednesday, Democratic senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota asked: “Do you think it is appropriate to use your position to threaten companies that broadcast political satire?”

The FCC chair replied by referring to the public interest standard, which dates back to a 1934 federal law and is today viewed as vague. “I think any licensee that operates on the public airwaves has a responsibility to comply with the public interest standard, and that’s been the case for decades,” Carr said.

Massachusetts senator Ed Markey later took him to task for the FCC’s investigation of a San Francisco broadcaster. “This is government censorship, plain and simple,” Markey said.

Carr replied: “Broadcasters understand, perhaps the first time in years, they’re going to be held accountable to the public interest, to broadcast hoax rules, to the news distortion policy. I think that’s a good thing.”

In her questioning, Wisconsin Democrat Tammy Baldwin called Carr “a parrot for president Trump” who has “diminished the independence of the FCC”.