For years Americans have heard complaints about “fake news,” but now the country’s top communications regulator is making it clear that the issue may carry real consequences. Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr warned Saturday that broadcasters who continue spreading hoaxes or distorted reporting could face losing their broadcast licenses.
Carr delivered the warning in a post on X, telling media outlets that the law requires broadcasters to operate in the public interest. If they fail to do so, he said, their licenses could be on the line when renewal time arrives.
In other words: the airwaves belong to the American people—not to networks pushing narratives.
Carr’s comments came in response to a Truth Social post by President Donald Trump criticizing what he described as an intentionally misleading headline about U.S. Air Force tanker planes that were reportedly hit by an Iranian missile strike.
“The law is clear. Broadcasters must operate in the public interest, and they will lose their licenses if they do not,” Carr wrote. He added that changing course would also benefit the media industry itself, noting that public trust in legacy media has collapsed to historic lows.
Carr referenced a Gallup survey showing that only nine percent of Americans say they have “a great deal” of trust in mass media to report the news fully, accurately, and fairly. Nine percent. That’s not exactly a ringing endorsement of today’s press corps.
Carr also pointed out that broadcasters have benefited from billions of dollars in public subsidies through free access to the nation’s airwaves.
“The American people have subsidized broadcasters to the tune of billions of dollars by providing free access to the nation’s airwaves,” Carr said. “It is very important to bring trust back into media, which has earned itself the label of fake news.”
He also referenced the political reality that helped drive this debate. Despite what he described as widespread media hoaxes and distortions, President Trump still won a sweeping victory in the 2024 election, capturing all seven battleground states and winning the popular vote by 1.5 percentage points.
“When a political candidate is able to win a landslide election victory in the face of hoaxes and distortions, there is something very wrong,” Carr said. “It means the public has lost faith and confidence in the media. And we can’t allow that to happen. Time for change.”
Trump’s original criticism focused on reporting about a Saudi Arabian airbase where five tanker planes were allegedly struck during an attack. According to the president, headlines suggested the aircraft were destroyed, when the reality was very different.
“In actuality, the Base was hit a few days ago, but the planes were not ‘struck’ or ‘destroyed,’” Trump wrote. Four of the aircraft had virtually no damage and were already back in service, while one had minor damage and would soon return to flight.
The initial report was first published by The Wall Street Journal. The outlet later updated its story, clarifying that the tankers were damaged but not destroyed and were being repaired.
Other outlets that cited the report, including Reuters, included similar clarifications in their coverage.
Still, Trump didn’t hold back in his criticism.
“The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal (in particular), and other Lowlife ‘Papers’ and Media actually want us to lose the War,” the president wrote. “Their terrible reporting is the exact opposite of the actual facts.”
Carr has previously signaled he’s willing to take action when he believes media outlets cross the line. In September 2025, he was indirectly involved in the temporary suspension of late-night host Jimmy Kimmel after Kimmel falsely suggested that the suspected assassin of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was linked to the MAGA movement.
Following Carr’s remarks about potential FCC action, companies that own multiple ABC affiliates suspended Kimmel’s show pending an apology. The comedian returned to television less than a week later.
Earlier that same month, Carr also warned broadcasters about misleading coverage surrounding Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an alleged MS-13 gang member and suspected human smuggler who had been deported to El Salvador by the Trump administration.
The message from the FCC chairman is becoming increasingly clear: broadcasters have enormous influence—and with that influence comes responsibility.
And if media organizations want to keep the privilege of using America’s public airwaves, they may finally have to start acting like it. ???
