Brendan Thomas Carr is an American lawyer currently serving as the chair of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), a position he assumed in 2025. He has been a commissioner of the FCC since 2017. Carr studied government at Georgetown University and graduated from the Columbus School of Law in 2005. He worked in private practice before joining the FCC in 2012 as an attorney, later becoming an advisor to Commissioner Ajit Pai and eventually the FCC's general counsel. President Donald Trump nominated him as an FCC commissioner in 2017, and Trump named him FCC chair following the 2024 presidential election. Carr is known for his focus on telecommunications issues such as 5G networks and telehealth funding, as well as his criticism of social media companies and Chinese manufacturers like Huawei. As chair, he has been active in investigations concerning media companies and has shifted the FCC's regulatory focus towards social media content and diversity policies in media mergers. He has also been involved in political controversies, including actions relating to late-night TV host Jimmy Kimmel's suspension from ABC and criticism of media perceived as liberal or progressive. Carr contributed to Project 2025, a conservative strategic plan related to federal government operations, emphasizing technology regulation and reforms around Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. Carr's tenure reflects a blend of regulatory focus on telecommunications infrastructure alongside politically charged actions with significant influence over media and technology policy in the United States.
