Trump’s FCC follows fascist playbook by targeting media outlets critical of Trump

Trump wants no dissent

Donald Trump is engaged in a whole-of-government approach to remake the United States into a nation run by Trump’s whims--with no limits on his authority. In other words, Trump is seeking to make himself a dictator for life--and to do so he is copying the authoritarian playbook.

We saw numerous examples this week such as Trump’s FBI and DOJ firing people who worked on Trump’s two federal criminal cases. Then there was Elon Musk being given access to "sensitive Treasury data" that is responsible for paying more than $6 trillion annually to Americans via Social Security checks, Medicare payments, tax refunds and more. The Musk development is especially jarring given Trump could instantly freeze federal funds to people he views as not loyal to him—potentially placing the burden on those wronged to hire a lawyer at their own cost to sue the federal government.

But there is another development that has snuck beneath the radar but is part of Trump’s dream of ruling like a dictator. Trump’s FCC has opened up a multi-front war on media outlets with the goal being to send a message that if you criticize Trump, the FCC will come after you.

Trump’s handpicked FCC Chair Brendan Carr-one of the authors of Project 2025—has been spearheading this effort since he took office two weeks ago. Last week, Carr opened an investigation into two of Trump’s long time targets, PBS and NPR. Carr’s letter to these organizations begins ominously enough, “I am writing to inform you that I have asked the FCC's Enforcement Bureau to open an investigation regarding the airing of NPR and PBS programming across your broadcast member stations.”

The investigation is allegedly about whether PBS and NPR—which does receive some federal funding—has violated government rules by recognizing financial sponsors on the air. Carr, however, in this letter has already told us the conclusion he is seeking, “I do not see a reason why Congress should continue sending taxpayer dollars to NPR and PBS.” (Only 1% of NPR’s funding is from the federal government while PBS is more reliant at 16%.)

Carr’s actions are because Trump has publicly demanded no government funding for these two outlets since they criticize him. For example, in April, Trump posted on Truth social, “NO MORE FUNDING FOR NPR, A TOTAL SCAM!... “THEY ARE A LIBERAL DISINFORMATION MACHINE. NOT ONE DOLLAR!!!”

In response to Carr’s investigation, Democratic FCC commissioner Anna Gomez wrote in a social media post, “This appears to be yet another Administration effort to weaponize the power of the FCC. The FCC has no business intimidating and silencing broadcast media.”

Gomez is 100% correct. But Carr was far from done in his efforts to utilize the FCC to silence critics. Carr also reinstated three complaints made by the Trump loving “Center for American Rights” against ABC, CBS and NBC. These three BS complaints were nothing more than a way to further Trump’s grievances about media coverage during the 2024 presidential campaign—and were rightfully dismissed by the prior FCC board for being “at odds with the First Amendment.”

But with Trump’s Carr at the helm, these three baseless complaints are back. The first alleges bias in ABC’s hosting of the September presidential debate--namely because they dared to fact check Trump. Another was against NBC for allowing VP Harris on “Saturday Night Live” without providing equal time to Trump. And the third is targeting CBS for alleged “news distortion” in the way that 60 Minutes edited an interview with Kamala Harris. (There was a fourth complaint that had been dismissed against Fox for lying on air about the 2020 election, but Carr, of course, did not reinstate that one.)

Former FCC chair Jessica Rosenworcel—who served as chair immediately before Carr—responded that Carr is trying “to weaponize the licensing authority of the FCC in a way that is fundamentally at odds with the First Amendment.” She also warned that the agency “should not be the president’s speech police.” But that is exactly what Carr and Trump want the FCC to be.

To that end, we learned on Friday that Carr had shockingly sent a letter to CBS demanding an unedited transcript of a “60 Minutes” interview with Kamala Harris that aired in October 2024. Trump was so outraged that CBS gave Harris that platform, he alleged that the network had edited her responses to make her look better, demanded CBS “should lose their license” and “60 Minutes” be “taken off the air.” He even sued CBS for $10 billion in damages.

Carr’s demand to CBS comes at the very same time CBS was reportedly negotiating a settlement with Trump of his bogus lawsuit. Carr is obviously helping Trump pressure CBS to pay a higher amount to settle the case. (In addition, the FCC is reviewing approval of a merger of CBS’s parent company Paramount with another company.)

In response to this latest news, FCC commissioner Anna Gomez issued a lengthy statement that reads in part: “During these last two weeks, the FCC has shown a concerning pattern of implementing the will of the Administration on issues that go far beyond our core responsibilities.” Gomez then got to the key reason behind Carr and Trump’s action: “Let’s be clear. This is a retaliatory move by the government against broadcasters whose content or coverage is perceived to be unfavorable.” She correctly added, “It is designed to instill fear in broadcast stations and influence a network’s editorial decisions.”

Trump is following the playbook of other right-wing leaders he admires, such as Hungary’s Viktor Orban. This past July, the Associated Press published a detailed look at how Orban has gained control of his nation’s media noting, “Orbán has created an almost Orwellian environment where the government weaponizes control of a majority of news outlets to limit Hungarians’ decisions.” As the AP noted, the press watchdog Reporters Without Borders detailed how Orbán’s oligarchs have used media buyouts to build “a true media empire subject to his party’s orders.”

Trump’s oligarch Elon Musk already did this very move with Twitter where it has become akin to Trump state media. Next will Trump harass and punish networks via his FCC until they agree to sell to his oligarchs? Very likely.

But at this time, Trump’s FCC is attempting to silence the few media outlets left that have not already bent a knee to Trump. History tell us, if the fascist regime can make an example of one media outlet by shutting it down, others will self-censor. As we know, self-censorship is the dictators best friend. That is why FCC commissioner Gomez is warning that Carr’s goal is to “instill fear in broadcast stations and influence a network’s editorial decisions.”

Thankfully, with the rise of independent media, it becomes more challenging for Trump to fully silence the truth. But don’t be surprised if Trump uses his administration to target one or two of the popular independent media outlets in hopes of intimidating other critics into silence.

That is why we must support each other in these challenging times. History tell us that when we faced with a fascist leader: Alone we will be crushed—but together we will win.

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