Trump appoints Musk associate Brendan Carr as FCC chair

Likely to look more favorably on Elon's adventures in space-based comms

The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC), an agency charged with regulating US media and communications, is about to get a new boss: current commissioner Brendan Carr.

Described by President-elect Trump as "a warrior for Free Speech," Carr was nominated to the FCC by Trump in 2017. On November 17, Trump said in a statement: "I will now be designating him as permanent Chairman."

"He will end the regulatory onslaught that has been crippling America's Job Creators and Innovators, and ensure that the FCC delivers for rural America," Trump's statement continued.

After thanking Trump for the appointment, Carr stated on Elon Musk's social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), that the FCC would be ending its promotion of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), then posted a GIF of Javier Milei's infamous "Afuera" video, in which the Argentinian president removes the names of government agencies from a whiteboard.

Carr has also been a vocal supporter of Musk, who offered his congratulations upon news of the appointment.

As well he might. The FCC opted in January not to spend nearly a billion dollars over ten years on Musk's Starlink satellite constellation to provide broadband to rural areas, which enraged the billionaire. FCC Commissioner Carr chimed in at the time, criticizing the decision and others that he claimed "gave federal agencies the green light to go after him [Musk]."

Carr's antipathy toward the current administration's rollout of high-speed internet connectivity and his promise to "ensure that the FCC delivers for rural America" suggests Musk's Starlink constellation could be in line for a more sympathetic hearing when Carr takes the reins.

Musk is also seeking FCC approval for the Starlink Direct-to-Cellular service, which was given temporary approval to restore mobile connectivity in parts of North Carolina following Hurricane Helene. Carr thanked SpaceX for its efforts.

Carr's appointment might also concern Starlink's terrestrial rivals, which asked the FCC to reject the SpaceX subsidiary's request for a waiver related to out-of-band emission limits over fears that the Direct-to-Cellular service would require a signal strength that would risk interference with existing cellphone services.

Those rivals have their own ideas for a space-based cellular broadband network, which began with a September launch of five AST SpaceMobile satellites. ®