President Trump said he was “so thrilled” by Federal Communications Commission chair Brendan Carr’s threat to revoke the licenses of broadcasters who peddle “hoaxes and distortions” related to the Iran war.
Trump ripped outlets that distribute AI-generated content created by the Tehran regime, which he labeled the “master of media manipulation and public relations.”
He said Iran uses artificial intelligence as a “disinformation weapon” to convey an impression of military might when it has sustained heavy losses.
“They showed phony ‘Kamikaze Boats,’ shooting at various Ships at Sea, which looks wonderful and powerful, and vicious, but these Boats don’t exist,” he wrote on Truth Social Sunday..
“It’s all false information to show how ‘tough’ their already defeated Military is.”
Trump bashed outlets he described as the “radical leftwing press” who share such content.
“They have no credibility!” he said.
“I am so thrilled to see Brendan Carr, the Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), looking at the licenses of some of these Corrupt and Highly Unpatriotic ‘News’ Organizations.”
Carr warned that outlets running what he described as “hoaxes and news distortions” must change course before their licenses are up for renewal.
Broadcasters have their licenses renewed every 8 years.
“The law is clear,” Carr wrote on X Saturday. “Broadcasters must operate in the public interest, and they will lose their licenses if they do not.
“The American people have subsidized broadcasters to the tune of billions of dollars by providing free access to the nation’s airwaves.
“It is very important to bring trust back into media, which has earned itself the label of fake news.”
Carr warned broadcasters that licenses are not a “property right,” but FCC chiefs haven’t denied licenses since the 1980s.
“People have gotten used to the idea that, you know, licenses are some sort of property right, and there’s nothing you can do that can result in losing their license,” he told CBS News the same day.
“I try to sort of help reorient people that, no, there is a public interest, and broadcast is different.”
Carr’s warning came after Trump played down reports five US Air Force tankers were severely damaged by Iranian strikes at a Saudi Arabia airport.
“In actuality, the Base was hit a few days ago, but the planes were not ‘struck’ or ‘destroyed,’ Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“Four of the five had virtually no damage, and are already back in service. One had slightly more damage, but will be in the air shortly.”
