Brendan Carr says his broadcast license threat wasn’t really about Iran war coverage | The VergeSkip to main contentThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.The VergeThe Verge logo.TechReviewsScienceEntertainmentAIPolicyHamburger Navigation ButtonThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.Hamburger Navigation ButtonNavigation DrawerThe VergeThe Verge logo.Login / Sign UpcloseCloseSearchTechExpandAmazonAppleFacebookGoogleMicrosoftSamsungBusinessSee all techReviewsExpandSmart Home ReviewsPhone ReviewsTablet ReviewsHeadphone ReviewsSee all reviewsScienceExpandSpaceEnergyEnvironmentHealthSee all scienceEntertainmentExpandTV ShowsMoviesAudioSee all entertainmentAIExpandOpenAIAnthropicSee all AIPolicyExpandAntitrustPoliticsLawSecuritySee all policyGadgetsExpandLaptopsPhonesTVsHeadphonesSpeakersWearablesSee all gadgetsVerge ShoppingExpandBuying GuidesDealsGift GuidesSee all shoppingGamingExpandXboxPlayStationNintendoSee all gamingStreamingExpandDisneyHBONetflixYouTubeCreatorsSee all streamingTransportationExpandElectric CarsAutonomous CarsRide-sharingScootersSee all transportationFeaturesVerge VideoExpandTikTokYouTubeInstagramPodcastsExpandDecoderThe VergecastVersion HistoryNewslettersArchivesStoreVerge Product UpdatesSubscribeFacebookThreadsInstagramYoutubeRSSThe VergeThe Verge logo.Brendan Carr says his broadcast license threat wasn’t really about Iran war coverageComments DrawerCommentsLoading commentsGetting the conversation ready...PolicyClosePolicyPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All PolicyReportCloseReportPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All ReportPoliticsClosePoliticsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All PoliticsBrendan Carr says his broadcast license threat wasn’t really about Iran war coverage“Maybe we will, maybe we won’t, as the big guy would say.”“Maybe we will, maybe we won’t, as the big guy would say.”by Lauren FeinerCloseLauren FeinerSenior Policy ReporterPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Lauren FeinerMar 26, 2026, 11:53 PM UTCLinkShareGiftImage: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Getty ImagesLauren FeinerCloseLauren FeinerPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Lauren Feiner is a senior policy reporter at The Verge, covering the intersection of Silicon Valley and Capitol Hill. She spent 5 years covering tech policy at CNBC, writing about antitrust, privacy, and content moderation reform.Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr never meant to threaten broadcast licenses over their coverage of the war in Iran, he told reporters after an event hosted by FGS and Semafor.“My comments weren’t actually on the Iran war,” Carr said in response to a question from The Verge about his statement regarding coverage of the war. “I understand why people say that. I made a statement quoting a tweet.”On March 14th, Carr quote-tweeted a screenshot of a Truth Social post from President Donald Trump, who had bemoaned “an intentionally misleading headline” related to the US military action in the Middle East. “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,” Carr tweeted in response. “The law is clear. Broadcasters must operate in the public interest, and they will lose their licenses if they do not.” His comments were widely reported as a threat over negative war news coverage.Carr previously warned broadcasters they could lose station licenses over airing late-night comedian Jimmy Kimmel, and Disney briefly pulled him from the air after the comments, which Carr has since defended and denied were ever a threat. At the event on Thursday, Carr said he had no plans to pull broadcast licenses. “You never know, but I don’t have plans,” he said. “Maybe we will, maybe we won’t, as the big guy would say.”“You never know, but I don’t have plans”“The only thing we’ve ever talked about pulling broadcast licenses are for operators that aren’t operating in the public interest, that are doing broadcast hoax, news distortion,” he said. “As long as you’re not doing that, you can cover anything any way you want.”Carr also said he believes he’s on solid ground with the agency’s recent ban on routers made outside the US, even after the Supreme Court stripped the need for judges to defer to agency expertise. “I don’t think there’s really significant litigation risk from that FCC decision,” he said.Carr has been heartened to see platforms like X and Meta change their policies in ways he views as more fair. “That sort of course correction in the market has resulted in a decrease in a lot of the sort of calls for regulatory intervention,” he said during the on-stage interview with Semafor’s Rohan Goswami. While speaking with reporters after, Carr said he’s “sort of stopped talking about free speech” on tech platforms while chair of the agency, claiming “people get confused” about what he sees as “apples and oranges” issues of internet platforms’ policies, and broadcasters’, whose licenses are regulated by the FCC. The agency recently approved a merger of NextStar and Tegna, which would make the company reach 80 percent of US TV households, beyond the 39 percent ownership limit.The need for regulation of tech platforms has simmered as what Carr views as “bad conduct” has diminished. Asked if it’s a content-based regulation if the need for it changes based on what platforms choose to moderate, Carr said it’s still all about conduct. “It’s when you have market power, or when you abuse that market power in a way that stifles individual liberty, I think that potentially creates the basis for regulation.”Asked on stage whether he’s weaponized the tools at his disposal as he’s accused Democrats of doing, Carr said he’s chosen a simple approach. “Why don’t we just apply the law in a neutral, even handed way? Which is what I think that we’re doing here.”Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.Lauren FeinerCloseLauren FeinerSenior Policy ReporterPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Lauren FeinerPolicyClosePolicyPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All PolicyPoliticsClosePoliticsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All PoliticsRegulationCloseRegulationPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All RegulationReportCloseReportPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All ReportSpeechCloseSpeechPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All SpeechMost PopularMost PopularThe United States router ban, explainedIntel and LG Display may have beaten Apple and Qualcomm with the best laptop battery life everSeiko resurrected a 44-year-old digital watch NASA astronauts wore to spaceMeta gets ready to launch two new Ray-Ban AI glassesNetflix is raising prices againThe Verge DailyA free daily digest of the news that matters most.Email (required)Sign UpBy submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice. 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Brendan Carr, the Chair of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), clarified his recent statements regarding potential broadcast license repercussions, asserting that the initial controversy surrounding his quote-tweet about Donald Trump’s criticism of a news headline was not a direct threat to broadcast stations. Following an event hosted by FGS and Semafor, Carr explained that his comments were primarily a response to a specific tweet from the former president, rather than a deliberate attempt to influence broadcasting regulations. Carr indicated that his statements regarding the potential loss of broadcast licenses for stations running “hoaxes and news distortions” – effectively referring to inaccurate reporting – were intended as a reminder of the FCC’s mandate for broadcasters to operate in the public interest. He emphasized that the agency’s actions would be focused on operators demonstrably violating this mandate, specifically those engaging in deliberate disinformation. Carr noted a history of previous actions, such as a 2023 warning regarding Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show and a previous, subsequently retracted, threat concerning Disney’s programming decisions, highlighting a pattern of addressing conduct rather than simply targeting specific content. During the event, Carr stressed that the goal of these interventions is not to dictate editorial choices, but to ensure broadcasters adhere to the legal requirement of operating in the public interest. Carr also addressed concerns surrounding the Supreme Court’s recent ruling regarding agency expertise in router approvals, expressing confidence that the FCC’s decision on this matter wouldn’t face significant legal challenges. Furthermore, Carr indicated a shift in his focus away from broader discussions about “free speech” on tech platforms, believing that the issues surrounding social media and broadcasters represent distinct regulatory concerns. He stated a preference for a neutral, even-handed approach to regulation, applying the law consistently. Carr also commented on ongoing regulatory efforts, specifically referencing the FCC’s approval of a merger between NextStar and Tegna, resulting in a significant increase in the company’s reach across US television households, exceeding the previously established 39% ownership limit. He framed these actions as responses to demonstrable market power abuses that stifle individual liberty, a key rationale for regulatory intervention. Carr also acknowledged observed shifts in market conduct among platforms like X and Meta, citing these changes as a factor in reducing calls for regulatory oversight. He clarified that the agency’s regulatory focus remains on conduct, rather than content, arguing that market power or the abuse of that power creates the basis for potential regulation.