Brendan Carr, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), detailed his plans to address biased media networks and rein in the influence of social media giants during an interview on Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures.

Carr emphasized his commitment to combating what he called the “censorship cartel,” a term he uses to describe the collaboration between major tech platforms and media outlets to suppress free speech.

Carr, who was first nominated to the FCC as General Counsel by Trump in 2017, currently serves as the senior Republican on the commission.

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Known for his vocal criticism of big tech censorship and biased media practices, Carr has supported initiatives to ensure that public broadcasting licenses are used fairly and not as tools for partisan agendas.

Earlier this month, Carr was nominated by Trump to serve as FCC Chair, a move that has drawn significant attention due to Carr’s pledge to “crush the censorship cartel.”

During the Fox News interview, host Jackie DeAngelis asked Carr how he plans to level the playing field and curb the influence of big tech companies on public discourse.

“For me, first thing is get with President Trump and his team and make sure I understand 100 percent what their agenda is. After all, he’s the one that was elected,” Carr said. “It’s his cabinet, his administration to reflect his priorities.”

He underscored his focus on combating big tech censorship as a top priority, emphasizing the importance of protecting free speech for all Americans.

“You need to restore Americans’ right to free speech,” Carr said. “Facebook and other companies have been part of a censorship cartel that has worked with advertisers, they’ve worked with government officials to censor the free speech rights of everyday Americans. That’s got to end.”

Carr has consistently highlighted the role of groups like NewsGuard and various “fact-checking” organizations in pressuring advertisers to abandon right-leaning outlets.

He argued that such efforts are central to what he describes as an Orwellian campaign to stifle dissenting viewpoints.

“Facebook, Google, Apple, Microsoft & others have played central roles in the censorship cartel,” Carr wrote in a post on X earlier this year. “The Orwellian named NewsGuard along with ‘fact-checking’ groups & ad agencies helped enforce one-sided narratives. The censorship cartel must be dismantled.”

Facebook, Google, Apple, Microsoft & others have played central roles in the censorship cartel.

The Orwellian named NewsGuard along with “fact checking” groups & ad agencies helped enforce one-sided narratives.

The censorship cartel must be dismantled. pic.twitter.com/Xf0sEYOUfv

— Brendan Carr (@BrendanCarrFCC) November 15, 2024

Carr stated that censorship isn’t merely about suppressing words but also about suppressing ideas, which he views as essential to American innovation and prosperity.

“America is a country of founders, of people that have pushed boundaries, pushed frontiers, they’ve innovated,” he said. “And when you silence speech, you silence ideas. That’s why you feel this vibe shifting in the country where people know President Trump is about to lead another great American comeback.”

BREAKING: Incoming Trump FCC Chairman Brendan Carr announces combatting Big Tech censorship is going to be a top priority.

“We need to restore Americans’ right to free speech […] [They’ve been] part of a censorship cartel that have worked with advertisers and government… pic.twitter.com/yfD9eDQuSl

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) December 1, 2024

Carr’s nomination comes as Trump’s incoming administration signals its intention to overhaul regulations on both media networks and tech platforms to ensure a more balanced approach to public discourse.

Carr’s proposals align closely with Trump’s broader agenda of reducing government overreach and fostering innovation.

As Carr prepares to assume leadership of the FCC, his plans to address media bias and dismantle the so-called censorship cartel are likely to face both strong support and sharp criticism from various stakeholders in the media and tech industries.