The FCC chair is threatening to pull broadcast licenses over Iran coverage, but the legal door he just opened is much bigger than it looks

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair Brendan Carr has threatened to pull the broadcast licenses of media outlets he accuses of pushing “fake news,” specifically targeting their coverage of the ongoing war with Iran. Carr made his position clear in an X post, echoing complaints from President Donald Trump and other administration officials about what they describe as misleading media reporting.

According to Reuters, the dispute began with a Truth Social post from President Trump, which Carr shared. Trump claimed that news outlets were publishing “intentionally misleading” headlines about five tanker planes allegedly struck at a Saudi Arabian airport, saying the strike happened days ago and that four of the five planes had “virtually no damage.” 

Trump directly accused The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and other outlets of wanting the U.S. to “lose the War,” writing, “Their terrible reporting is the exact opposite of the actual facts! They are truly sick and demented people that have no idea the damage they cause the United States of America.”

Carr’s threat against broadcasters sets a serious precedent for wartime press freedom

Trump’s complaints also extended beyond the tanker story. He said outlets were not reporting on how “well” the U.S. is doing with its Iran strikes. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth also accused the media of using coverage of American deaths to make the president “look bad.”

Carr followed up with a direct warning to broadcasters, writing that outlets “running hoaxes and news distortions, also known as the fake news, have a chance now to correct course before their license renewals come up.” 

He then stated plainly, “Broadcasters must operate in the public interest, and they will lose their licenses if they do not.” He also argued that “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.” This is not the first time the FCC has acted on such concerns — the agency recently launched a formal investigation into a major TV program over similar issues.

Carr also pointed out that “the American people have subsidized broadcasters to the tune of billions of dollars by providing free access to the nation’s airwaves,” and declared it is “time for a change.” It is worth noting that the FCC only has authority over television and radio broadcasters. It does not regulate purely online or print outlets like The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, even though Trump specifically named them in his complaints.

Carr has been pushing the FCC’s “public interest” obligation for some time, arguing the agency has not enforced it firmly enough over the past few decades. He previously raised concerns about “hoaxes and distortions” during the 2024 presidential campaign. 

However, by including Trump’s post about wartime coverage, Carr is, for the first time, extending his criticisms to how broadcasters report on an active military conflict.  Trump has a long history of accusing news outlets of lying when their coverage is critical of him, and has previously called for broadcast license removals. 

While Carr cites falling public trust in media to support his position, several Democratic lawmakers and some Republicans have criticized the administration’s pressure campaign against broadcasters. The tension between networks and the administration has been building, as seen when CBS faced accusations of hiding a key interview from the public.