California Governor Gavin Newsom is among those slamming FCC Chairman Brendan Carr and President Donald Trump, accusing Carr of politicizing his oversight role in order to influence news narratives around the Iran war on behalf of the Trump administration. Newsom called Carr’s threats, which he portrayed as a violation of First Amendment rights, as “flagrantly unconstitutional.”
If Trump doesn’t like your coverage of the war, his FCC will pull your broadcast license.
That is flagrantly unconstitutional. https://t.co/Jp1Mk5EEJb
— Governor Gavin Newsom (@CAgovernor) March 14, 2026
Carr, who faced similar criticism about playing politics with his regulatory hammer last year during the temporary suspension of ABC late night host Jimmy Kimmel, this week warned broadcasters — whose licenses are subject to FCC approval — about negative portrayals of U.S. military operations in Iran after President Trump launched attacks there two weeks ago.
Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) referenced the Kimmel kerfuffle in his response to Carr’s recent rhetoric, asserting that the FCC chair’s new hammer-wielding raised a more concerning alarm about free speech than his stance against Kimmel had.
Shatz wrote: “This is a clear directive to provide positive war coverage or else licenses may not be renewed. This is worse than the comedian stuff, and by a lot. The stakes here are much higher. He’s not talking about late night shows, he’s talking about how a war is covered.”
Carr and others in the administration have portrayed certain storylines as inaccurately reported, condemning in particular a CNN story that suggested the administration had failed to adequately anticipate Iran’s ability to close the Strait of Hormuz. Trump castigated the story, predictably, as “fake news” and a “hoax,” charges Carr repeated.
Broadcasters that are running hoaxes and news distortions – also known as the fake news – have a chance now to correct course before their license renewals come up.
The law is clear. Broadcasters must operate in the public interest, and they will lose their licenses if they… https://t.co/7bBgnsbalw
— Brendan Carr (@BrendanCarrFCC) March 14, 2026
[NOTE: Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, upset by the coverage, was more explicit in emphasizing the other method by which the administration hopes to curtail coverage that questions its motivations and achievements, saying he couldn’t wait for CNN’s ownership to change hands via a merger that will give control to billionaire Trump-supporter David Ellison. “The sooner David Ellison takes over that network, the better,” Hegseth said during a Pentagon briefing.]
