The Trump administration is facing growing criticism after the chair of the Federal Communications Commission suggested that television broadcasters could lose their licenses if they air reporting about the ongoing war with Iran that the administration considers inaccurate. The warning came as President Donald Trump also escalated his attacks on news organizations, suggesting that media outlets reporting information he disputes about the conflict could face treason charges.
Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr posted a message on social media Saturday that appeared to warn broadcasters about how they cover the war.
“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 do not,” Carr wrote.
The post circulated widely among journalists, lawmakers, and civil liberties advocates, many of whom interpreted it as a signal that federal regulators could punish broadcasters whose reporting contradicts the administration’s narrative about the war.
Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut said the statement represented a direct attempt by the government to pressure media coverage of an active conflict.
“The[is] is the federal government telling news stations to provide favorable coverage of the war or their licenses will be pulled,” Murphy wrote. “A truly extraordinary moment. We aren’t on the verge of a totalitarian takeover. WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF IT. Act like it.”
Journalists and media commentators also raised alarms about the potential implications of Carr’s remarks. Journalist Séamus Malekafzali wrote that “The FCC is threatening the licenses of news stations that report on the effects of Iranian attacks on the American military.” Bulwark economics editor Catherine Rampell posted, “FCC Chair Brendan Carr threatens broadcast licenses over Iran War coverage.” Journalist Sam Stein wrote, “The state doesn’t like the war coverage, threatens the license of the broadcasters.”
Independent news network MediasTouch described Carr’s message as an attempt to shape how the conflict is reported.
“Brendan Carr is threatening the media to cover the war the way the Trump regime wants. It’s one of the most anti-American messages ever posted by a government official,” the group wrote. The outlet added, “The truth is this war has been a failure of historic proportions. They don’t want Americans to know that.”
Lawmakers also raised constitutional concerns. The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees freedom of speech and freedom of the press, and critics said threatening broadcasters over coverage of the war conflicts with those protections.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts wrote that the government cannot censor reporting it dislikes.
“Constitutional law 101: It’s illegal for the government to censor free speech it just doesn’t like about Trump’s Iran war,” Warren posted. “This threat is straight out of the authoritarian playbook.”
Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona said independent reporting is essential during wartime.
“When our nation is at war it is critical that the press is free to report without government interference. It is literally in the Constitution. This is overreach by the FCC because this administration doesn’t like the microscope and doesn’t want to be held accountable.”
California Gov. Gavin Newsom also criticized the statement, writing, “If Trump doesn’t like your coverage of the war, his FCC will pull your broadcast license. That is flagrantly unconstitutional.”
Free speech advocates issued similar warnings. Aaron Terr, director of public advocacy at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, said the government cannot suppress reporting about military actions.
“The president’s hand-picked misinformation czar is at it again, singling out ‘fake news’ that conflicts with his boss’ political agenda. The First Amendment doesn’t allow the government to censor information about the war it’s waging,” Terr said.
Timothy Karr, senior director of strategy and communications at Free Press, responded by posting a screenshot of the First Amendment with the message: “Here it is—as it seems you’ve forgotten what you swore an oath to ‘support and defend.’”
Carr has previously faced criticism from free speech advocates over attempts to intervene in media content. In September he pressured ABC to remove comedian Jimmy Kimmel from the air following remarks Kimmel made after the murder of Charlie Kirk. ABC later reinstated the program following public backlash.
At the time, Free Press co CEO Craig Aaron warned that the administration’s efforts to pressure media organizations would continue.
“The Trump regime’s war on free speech is no joke—and it’s not over,” Aaron said.
Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawaii said Carr’s latest remarks carry even greater consequences because they involve coverage of an active war.
“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.”
The controversy intensified after Trump himself attacked news organizations reporting on developments in the conflict with Iran. Late Sunday the president suggested that outlets he accused of publishing inaccurate information should face criminal charges.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote that organizations spreading “fake news” about the war should “be brought up on Charges for TREASON for the dissemination of false information.”
Trump specifically criticized reporting by the Wall Street Journal about damage to U.S. aircraft during an Iranian missile strike on Prince Sultan air base in Saudi Arabia. According to the report, “five US Air Force refueling planes were struck and damaged on the ground at Prince Sultan air base in Saudi Arabia.” The article cited two unnamed U.S. officials who said that “the tankers were hit during an Iranian missile strike on the Saudi base,” and that the planes were “damaged but not fully destroyed and are being repaired.”
Trump described the article as “false reporting,” though he did not dispute the central facts reported. He wrote that four aircraft are “in service” and that one “will soon be flying the skies.”
The president also criticized a fabricated video circulating online that purportedly showed the USS Abraham Lincoln on fire. Trump claimed the footage had been distributed by “Corrupt Media Outlets,” though he did not identify specific organizations. The video had previously been fact checked by Agence France Presse, which determined the clip was fabricated.
Administration officials have repeatedly complained about coverage of the Iran conflict as the military campaign continues into its third week. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recently criticized CNN reporting about the possibility that Iran could close the Strait of Hormuz in response to U.S. military actions.
“The sooner David Ellison takes over that network, the better,” Hegseth told reporters.
The comment referred to a proposed acquisition in which Paramount Skydance, run by David Ellison, the son of billionaire Larry Ellison, is expected to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, the company that owns CNN. Carr has previously expressed support for the deal, telling CNBC that it is a “good deal, and I think it should get through pretty quickly.”
In a letter sent Sunday to Carr, Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts warned that the administration’s statements about broadcasters could undermine public access to information during the war.
Markey said the administration is engaged in a “blatant attempt to muzzle the free press” if outlets do not align coverage of the conflict with the administration’s narrative. He wrote that the consequences for wartime reporting could be severe.
“Your Saturday post follows that same logic but extends it to the coverage of an active military conflict, where the chilling effect on journalists and the damage to the public’s right to know are most severe.”
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