**Trump Appoints Brendan Carr as New FCC Chair, Igniting Discourse on Net Neutrality and Section 230**
Former President Donald Trump has continued to appoint significant figures to his administration, announcing this week Brendan Carr as his **latest choice for Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair**. Carr, who currently serves as the FCC’s leading Republican commissioner, was initially appointed by Trump in 2017 after his tenure as general counsel and advisor to former FCC Chair Ajit Pai. His term has been extended through 2029, and during his seven years with the commission, Carr has consistently opposed Net Neutrality and the broadband subsidies promoted by the Biden administration.
Carr is also the mastermind behind the contentious **Project 2025** initiatives for the FCC, which emphasize Section 230 of the Communications Act and address online content moderation. He has developed a close rapport with Elon Musk, now heading the newly formed “Department of Government Efficiency.”
### Trump’s Endorsement of Carr
Trump has commended Carr as a “champion for Free Speech” in the battle against what Carr refers to as “regulatory Lawfare,” a phrase he used to characterize the FCC’s decision to cancel an $885 million grant for Musk’s Starlink. Trump praised Carr’s vision for a renewed FCC, asserting that Carr would “put an end to the regulatory barrage that has been undermining America’s Job Creators and Innovators” and make sure the FCC serves rural America.
### Carr’s Position on Critical Topics: Net Neutrality and Section 230
Carr has been a pivotal figure in the opposition to the **restoration of Net Neutrality** regulations, which were dismantled during Trump’s first term and under former FCC Chair Ajit Pai. Carr contends that reinstating these rules would adversely affect rural communities by raising costs and hindering infrastructure growth. The topic of Net Neutrality has become highly divisive, with stark contrasts between Republican and Democrat FCC members. As the issue plays out in the courts, proponents of an “Open Internet” fear that a Republican-led FCC could signal the demise of Net Neutrality.
Carr has also adopted a firm stance against the safeguards offered by **Section 230**, which protects internet platforms from legal accountability for user-generated content. In his **Project 2025** proposals, Carr advocated for essential reforms to Section 230, arguing that Congress should make sure internet companies no longer have “carte blanche” to censor protected speech while retaining their legal protections. He suggested that reforms should prevent discrimination against fundamental political perspectives and that dominant, widely-used platforms should be the target of new legislation, rather than niche platforms or self-moderating online communities.
Carr has specifically called out major tech firms like Facebook, Google, Apple, and Microsoft as part of a “censorship cartel” and has committed to challenging them under a new administration. He has additionally expressed support for a **federal prohibition on TikTok**.
### Free Speech, Diversity, and Accessibility
Shortly after his appointment announcement, Carr utilized **X (formerly Twitter)** to express his commitment to ending the FCC’s advocacy for **diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEI)**, which had been the agency’s “second-highest strategic goal” according to its latest budget outline. “Regarding the FCC’s endorsement of DEI, I have just one thing to convey: Afuera!” Carr tweeted.
Carr has mirrored Trump’s opinions on “political bias” in mainstream media and content moderation. Following his appointment, Carr stated: “We must take apart the censorship cartel and restore free speech rights for everyday Americans.”
### Broadcast Media and Public Airwaves
Carr has also indicated potential transformations for **broadcast media**, which utilize public airwaves. In another social media statement, Carr remarked, “Broadcast media have enjoyed the privilege of using a scarce and valuable public resource—our airwaves. Consequently, they are mandated by law to operate in the public interest. Once the transition is finalized, the FCC will enforce this public interest requirement.”
Carr has aligned himself with Trump’s ambition to cut regulations, revoke licenses, and discipline media outlets for what they consider biased reporting.
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Carr’s elevation to FCC Chair is anticipated to heighten discussions around free speech, content moderation, and internet regulation, carrying substantial consequences for the future of Net Neutrality, Section 230, and the function of media in the digital era.