Trending Now - Newsom Condemns FCC Chief's Media Threats, Critiques Trump
WHO:
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, California Governor Gavin Newsom, President Donald Trump
President Donald Trump, California Governor Gavin Newsom, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr
White House spokesman Kush Desai
WHAT:
Carr stated that broadcasters running "hoaxes and news distortions" have a chance to "correct course" before their license renewals.
Newsom described Carr's warning as "sick" and stated, "This is — I literally just read that right before I got here. I didn't believe it."
Trump referred to news organizations as "corrupt and highly unpatriotic ‘news’ organizations" and criticized them for receiving "Billions of Dollars of FREE American Airwaves."
President Trump expressed that he is “thrilled” with FCC Chairman Brendan Carr's warning to broadcasters to “course correct” on news coverage.
Trump accused media outlets of misrepresenting developments of the Iran war and spreading Iranian disinformation.
Newsom criticized Carr's warning as “sick” and referred to Trump as “Dear Leader.”
Carr warned broadcasters that they have a chance to correct course before their license renewals come up.
Trump stated that news organizations receive “Billions of Dollars of FREE American Airwaves” and use it to perpetuate lies.
WHERE:
The statements were made in a social media post by Trump and during an interview with Newsom.
WHEN:
Carr's warning was issued in a social media post on Saturday, March 16th, 2026.
Newsom's interview was posted on Monday, March 18th, 2026.
Trump made his comments on Sunday, March 17th, 2026.
Newsom's interview was posted on Monday, March 18th, 2026.
Carr's warning was issued in a social media post on Saturday, March 16th, 2026.
WHY:
Trump’s motivation was to address what he perceives as corrupt media coverage regarding the Iran war.
Newsom's criticism stemmed from concerns about media freedom and the implications of Carr's warning.
HOW:
Carr discussed the need for local TV stations to "rebalance" the airwaves and move away from national network programming in favor of patriotic content during an appearance on the "Pod Force One" podcast.
Trump utilized social media to express his views and concerns about media coverage.
Newsom articulated his criticisms during an interview with Semafor.
(UPDATED March 18, 2026 23:14 UTC)
On Saturday, March 16, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr issued a warning to broadcasters about the consequences of running "hoaxes and news distortions," suggesting they have a chance to "correct course" before their license renewals. In response, California Governor Gavin Newsom called Carr's statement "sick," expressing disbelief upon reading it, while President Trump labeled news organizations as "corrupt and highly unpatriotic" for profiting from "Billions of Dollars of FREE American Airwaves." Carr's comments came during an appearance on the "Pod Force One" podcast, where he emphasized the need for local TV stations to shift towards more patriotic content.
--
(UPDATED March 18, 2026 19:29 UTC)
On Sunday, March 17, President Trump expressed his excitement over FCC Chairman Brendan Carr's warning to broadcasters to "course correct" on their news coverage, accusing media outlets of misrepresenting the Iran war and spreading disinformation. In response, California Governor Gavin Newsom criticized Carr's warning as "sick" and referred to Trump as "Dear Leader," emphasizing concerns about media freedom. Carr's warning, which he issued on Saturday, March 16, reminded broadcasters that they have a chance to correct their course before their license renewals come up.