President-elect Donald J. Trump announced on Sunday that Brendan Carr would serve as the new chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Carr, a seasoned Republican regulator, has publicly aligned with the incoming administration’s agenda to cut regulations, challenge Big Tech, and hold TV networks accountable for perceived political bias.

Currently a sitting member of the FCC, Carr is expected to bring significant changes to the agency, which oversees broadcasting licenses, regulates phone rates, and promotes internet access. Before the election, Trump expressed his intention for the FCC to potentially revoke the licenses of broadcasters like NBC and CBS for what he described as unfair reporting.

At 45, Carr contributed to the FCC chapter of the conservative Project 2025 plan, advocating for the agency to extend its regulatory reach to include major tech companies like Apple, Meta, Google, and Microsoft. Last week, Carr declared on social media platform X, “The censorship cartel must be dismantled.”

Legal and industry experts anticipate that Carr could transform the FCC’s role by broadening its scope and using it as a political tool for conservative causes. They foresee potential clashes with Silicon Valley as Carr pushes for oversight of tech giants like Meta and Google, testing the FCC’s legal boundaries.

“He’s proposed initiatives far beyond his jurisdiction and misinterpreted existing rules,” said Jessica Gonzalez, co-CEO of the nonpartisan public interest group Free Press.

Conversely, Trump praised Carr, calling him a “champion for free speech” who has opposed regulatory actions that, according to Trump, have hindered Americans’ freedoms and economic growth.

Carr has not commented publicly on his appointment.

Despite his ambitions, Carr’s ability to enact sweeping changes faces significant obstacles. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Department of Justice primarily oversee tech regulation through antitrust cases and consumer protection enforcement. Additionally, expanding the FCC’s authority to regulate companies like Google and Meta would likely require new legislation, as these entities are not classified as communications services under current law.

The FCC, composed of three Republicans and two Democrats under the incoming administration, is also limited in its ability to penalize broadcasters for editorial decisions, with exceptions for obscenities and violations of children’s programming rules.

Still, experts note that Carr could leverage the FCC’s influence to pressure companies indirectly, such as by blocking mergers or investigating regulatory compliance issues that could lead to fines or license revocations.

“Brendan is the most skilled politician on the FCC right now,” said Blair Levin, a former FCC chief of staff and policy adviser at New Street Research. “The key question is what he can realistically accomplish within the FCC’s current legal framework.”

A career telecommunications lawyer, Carr earned his law degree from the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., and joined the FCC in 2012 as a legal adviser. He became the agency’s general counsel in 2017 and was later appointed by Trump to a Republican seat on the commission. During his tenure, Carr focused on expanding high-speed wireless internet in rural areas and supported then-chairman Ajit Pai in repealing net neutrality regulations. The Democratic-led FCC has since reinstated those rules, which are now being challenged in court.

Following the election, Carr issued a statement emphasizing the FCC’s future role in curbing Big Tech, ensuring broadcasters serve the public interest, and fostering economic growth while prioritizing national security and law enforcement.

Carr has also shown support for Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur and close ally of President-elect Trump. Musk’s company Starlink, which provides satellite internet, was awarded an $885 million grant in 2020 through the FCC’s Rural Digital Opportunity Fund. However, the Democratic-led FCC revoked the funding in 2022, citing Starlink’s inability to meet speed requirements and connect enough rural homes. Carr sharply criticized the decision, describing it as politically motivated.

In a recent Wall Street Journal opinion piece, Carr accused the Biden administration of engaging in “regulatory lawfare” against Musk, whom he described as a primary target of the left.