FCC Chair Brendan Carr stated that he had not engaged in any discussions with the White House regarding the Trump Organization’s self-branded mobile service and the $499 Trump Mobile smartphone. Carr, appointed as chair by President Donald Trump in January, mentioned that he first learned about the project through a public press release and had not spoken to anyone outside the agency about it. He emphasized that the FCC would follow its standard procedures in addressing any requirements related to the project, noting that increased competition in the market is beneficial.
Trump Mobile, a mobile service powered by Liberty Mobile Wireless, a Florida-based company established by entrepreneur Matthew Lopatin in 2018, operates as a mobile virtual network operator by leasing bandwidth from major carriers like T-Mobile to provide its services under a different brand.
Regarding other matters, Carr mentioned that the FCC is still reviewing CBS-parent Paramount Global’s proposed $8.4 billion merger with Skydance Media, as the commission did not reach a decision by the informal 180-day deadline in mid-May. Carr assured that the review process would continue as usual.
Furthermore, former President Trump has filed a lawsuit against CBS, accusing the network of editing a “60 Minutes” interview with 2024 presidential candidate Kamala Harris in a deceptive manner to influence the election in favor of the Democratic Party. The lawsuit seeks $20 billion in damages. In a related move, Carr reinstated complaints about the Harris interview on “60 Minutes,” as well as issues relating to ABC News’ moderation of the pre-election debate between then-President Joe Biden and Trump, and NBC’s airing of Harris on “Saturday Night Live” shortly before the election.
CBS has urged Carr to dismiss the complaint, defending its actions and arguing against the FCC becoming a content censor.
