Trump Responds to FCC Chairman’s Threat Over Misinformation

President Trump expressed enthusiasm regarding the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr’s warning aimed at revoking licenses of broadcast stations airing what he calls “misinformation and distortions” concerning the Iran conflict.

Trump has characterized the Iranian government as “masters of media manipulation” and has previously targeted media outlets for spreading AI-generated misinformation.

He indicated that Iran employs artificial intelligence as a “disinformation weapon” to project an image of military prowess, despite having endured considerable setbacks.

“They presented fake ‘kami balloons’ attacking various ships at sea. It looks impressive, almost intimidating, but those ships aren’t real,” he mentioned, sharing this sentiment on his Truth Social platform. This was on a Sunday, I think.

“Any suggestion of how ‘tough’ their already defeated military is amounts to misinformation,” he added.

In his critique, Trump targeted news organizations that disseminate such narratives, labeling them as “radical left-wing.” He firmly stated, “They have no credibility!”

He expressed eagerness about Chairman Carr’s investigation into the licenses of these “corrupt” and “unpatriotic” news outlets.

Carr highlighted that broadcasters sharing what he termed “misinformation and news distortion” would need policy changes to renew their licenses.

He noted that licenses are up for renewal every eight years.

Carr declared, “The law is clear,” adding in a post that “broadcasters must operate in the public interest or face revocation of their licenses.”

He pointed out that American taxpayers have contributed billions to broadcasters via free access to airwaves and emphasized the necessity of restoring trust in a media environment increasingly dismissed as “fake news.”

While Carr cautioned that licenses aren’t “property rights,” he acknowledged that no FCC chairman has revoked any since the 1980s—a controversial stance. “People generally assume a license is something like a property right that can’t be taken away,” he noted.

The context for Carr’s warnings follows Trump’s minimization of reports regarding significant damage to five U.S. Air Force tankers from an Iranian assault on a Saudi airport. Trump remarked, “Yes, the base was attacked recently, but the planes were not ‘attacked’ or ‘destroyed.’”

He further clarified that four of the five aircraft are largely unharmed and have resumed operations, while one aircraft had minor damage but would be operational soon.