First Amendment

Brendan Carr's Crusade To Reshape TV Journalism Is Blatantly Unconstitutional

The First Amendment does not allow the FCC chairman to police news coverage.

Jacob Sullum | 3.18.2026 12:01 AM

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(Anton Vierietin/Dreamstime/Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call/Newscom)

On Saturday morning, President Donald Trump criticized a Wall Street Journal article about an Iranian attack on U.S. refueling planes in Saudi Arabia. Three hours later, Brendan Carr, the Trump-appointed chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), responded to the president's complaint by warning broadcasters that they "will lose their licenses" if they fail to "operate in the public interest."

Why did an allegedly misleading newspaper article prompt a regulatory threat against TV stations? Because Carr is eager to advertise his crusade to restore "faith and confidence in the media"—a megalomaniacal mission that is neither part of his job description nor consistent with the First Amendment.

The gravamen of Trump's objection to the Journal story remains hazy. Under the headline "Five Air Force Refueling Planes Hit in Iranian Strike on Saudi Arabia," the newspaper reported that the planes "were struck and........

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