FCC Chair Carr Threatens License Revocation Over Trump Coverage

FCC Chair Brendan Carr threatened to revoke broadcast licenses on Saturday, directly echoing Trump’s criticism of media coverage of the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran. Carr stated on social media that broadcasters running “hoaxes and news distortions” would “lose their licenses” during renewal periods, though he cited no specific networks or stories. The threat followed Trump’s Truth Social post attacking news coverage of five U.S. tanker aircraft in Saudi Arabia, claiming networks falsely reported damage when “four of the five had virtually no damage.”

Trump has repeatedly demanded license revocation for negative coverage, telling reporters in September 2025 that networks covering him negatively should “maybe” have their licenses revoked and that the decision would be “up to” Carr, whom he appointed. In August, Trump said NBC and ABC “give me 97% BAD STORIES” and he would be “totally in favor” of revoking their licenses. This pattern mirrors earlier instances where Trump administration pressure preceded consequences, such as when Carr demanded patriotic content from broadcasters and Kimmel’s show was pulled from air in mid-September after Carr called Kimmel’s remarks “a very, very serious issue.”

The FCC’s own website states that the “First Amendment and the Communications Act expressly prohibit the Commission from censoring broadcast matter” and that its role in overseeing broadcast content “is very limited.” The agency issues eight-year licenses to individual broadcast stations, not to television networks themselves. Carr did not identify which specific stories he believed were distorted or provide evidence contradicting any reporting.

Some Republicans including Texas Sen. Ted Cruz stated Carr went too far, yet Trump defended his appointee, saying “I think Brendan Carr is doing a great job.” Trump’s direct control over agency actions targeting his media critics demonstrates the weaponization of federal authority against news organizations that report unfavorably on his administration.

(Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/fcc-brendan-carr-threat-news-networks-broadcast-license/)

Trump PAC Fundraises With Fallen Soldiers Photo

President Trump’s political action committee sent a fundraising email featuring an official White House photograph of Trump saluting during a dignified transfer of six fallen US soldiers at Dover Air Force Base on March 7, 2026. The email, sent by Never Surrender, Inc., used this solemn military ceremony honoring the dead to promote a “National Security Briefing Membership,” promising donors access to Trump’s “private national security briefings” and “unfiltered updates on the threats facing America.”

The fundraising pitch falsely marketed exclusive national security information to donors, claiming members would receive “the straight truth on border invasions, foreign adversaries, deep state sabotage, and every danger the fake news hides.” Trump’s message in the email stated, “I’m the strong commander who stares down tyrants, obliterates terrorists, and never backs down,” using the soldiers’ remains as a backdrop for self-promotion and financial solicitation.

Dignified transfers are solemn military traditions conducted when the remains of US service members killed overseas return to the United States. The war with Iran has resulted in 13 service member deaths so far, with Trump previously acknowledging there will likely be more casualties. By using imagery from this ceremony to raise money, Trump weaponized a moment meant to honor the fallen for partisan fundraising purposes.

Democratic officials condemned the abuse of power. Senator Andy Kim of New Jersey criticized the email on social media, and California Governor Gavin Newsom’s press office stated, “Donald Trump is fundraising off of dead soldiers.” The email represents one of multiple fundraising pitches by Trump and his affiliated PACs that have exploited the Iran war for financial gain.

The White House and the Republican National Committee did not respond to requests for comment on the fundraising email. This incident demonstrates how Trump uses the office and official resources, including photographs of fallen service members, to enrich his political committees while making false promises to supporters about access to classified or sensitive information.

(Source: https://www.cnn.com/2026/03/13/politics/trump-fundraise-email-soldier)

Trump Threatens Iran Over Strait Mining

President Trump issued a military threat against Iran on March 10th, 2026, stating that any mining of the Strait of Hormuz would result in consequences “at a level never seen before.” Trump posted on Truth Social that mines must be removed immediately or Iran would face severe military action, claiming his administration had no initial reports of mines being placed but demanded their removal nonetheless.

CNN reported that Iran had begun mining the Strait of Hormuz, with sources familiar with U.S. intelligence stating that a few dozen mines had been laid in recent days. According to CNN’s reporting, Iran retains 80 to 90 percent of its small boats and mine-laying vessels, meaning it could feasibly deploy hundreds of additional mines in the strategic waterway. CBS News separately reported Iran may be preparing to deploy naval mines and possesses between 2,000 and 6,000 mines in its arsenal.

Trump followed his initial threat with a second post claiming the military had destroyed 10 inactive mine-laying boats and ships, with more strikes promised. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters the U.S. had not yet begun escorting oil tankers through the Strait. Trump’s threats came as oil prices fluctuated dramatically, surging to $116 per barrel on Monday before dropping to $86 by Tuesday afternoon, up approximately 28 percent since Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed during Operation Epic Fury.

Trump claimed on Monday that the war was “pretty much” complete and would wrap up “soon,” contradicting the escalating military posture reflected in his threats against Iran. The mining dispute represents a direct confrontation with Iran over control of one of the world’s most critical shipping routes, through which approximately one-third of global maritime oil trade passes. Trump’s pattern of military threats and claims of rapid victory mirrors his approach throughout the broader conflict with Iran.

(Source: https://www.mediaite.com/politics/trump-threatens-iran-with-never-seen-before-attack-if-it-mines-strait-of-hormuz/)

Trump Attacks Press For Questioning Iran War Duration

President Trump attacked journalists who questioned the duration of his Iran military campaign, falsing claiming media outlets report Iran is “doing wonderfully” when coverage has documented severe humanitarian costs. As the second week of Operation Epic Fury concluded, 13 U.S. service members had been killed, a preliminary military investigation determined the U.S. was responsible for a strike on an elementary school that killed at least 160 children, and attacks on oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz destabilized global energy markets and stock prices.

When asked directly how long the war would last, Trump refused to provide a timeline but stated it would continue “as long as it’s necessary” while claiming the U.S. was “way ahead of schedule.” He characterized media reporting as “fake news” for suggesting Iran was functioning normally, insisting instead that the country was “collapsing” and “doing as bad as you can have.”

Trump’s conflicting statements about the war’s progress—simultaneously declaring victory while justifying ongoing military operations—have drawn heavy criticism. His administration has issued contradictory messaging on the Iran war, stating both that the U.S. has already won and that operations must continue until conditions feel right.

The president’s dismissal of critical reporting exemplifies his pattern of attacking the press when coverage documents human costs or strategic ambiguity in his foreign military actions. Trump previously characterized the deaths of U.S. service members as components of a beneficial transaction, demonstrating indifference to casualty figures even as they mounted.

(Source: https://www.mediaite.com/online/trump-confronted-by-reporter-on-when-war-will-end-claims-media-says-iran-doing-wonderfully/)

Trump Goon Stages Public Meltdown After Judge Humiliates Her

U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro experienced a public meltdown during a press conference after Federal District Court Chief Judge James Boasberg ruled against her office’s investigation into Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell. Judge Boasberg determined that Pirro’s probe was motivated by President Donald Trump’s desire to remove Powell and lower interest rates, blocking subpoenas the office had issued to the Federal Reserve Board.

Pirro denounced the ruling as “outrageous” and “the antithesis of American justice,” claiming it had “neutered the grand jury’s ability to investigate crime” and granted Powell immunity. She vowed to appeal the decision while attacking Powell for posting a video announcing the subpoenas, accusing him of calling “friends” to “gin up support for himself.” Her comments demonstrated how Trump’s weaponization of the DOJ against perceived enemies extended to targeting the Federal Reserve chairman.

During the question-and-answer session, Pirro became hostile toward reporters. When asked about her office’s failure to prosecute six Democratic members of Congress who posted a video reminding military personnel they can refuse unlawful orders, she erupted, declaring she was “not here to talk about six members of Congress” and dismissing the question with visible irritation.

The press conference deteriorated further when Pirro screamed at a final reporter to “cut it out,” then launched into an incoherent tirade about her prosecution record compared to her predecessor. She boasted about prosecuting cases at higher rates than the previous U.S. Attorney, then abruptly ended the event and left the stage without further comment.

The incident exemplifies how Trump appointees use federal law enforcement to target political adversaries while misusing the machinery of justice. Pirro’s abuse of power in pursuing a baseless investigation against Powell, combined with her failure to prosecute Trump’s political allies and her hostile reaction to legitimate scrutiny, underscores the authoritarian capture of federal institutions under Trump’s direction.

(Source: https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/trump-goon-stages-public-meltdown-232814034.html)

Trump Fires Kennedy Center President Grenell After Institutional

Trump announced Friday that Richard Grenell, his appointed Kennedy Center president, is stepping down after more than a year marked by institutional chaos and mass artist defections. Grenell will be replaced by Matt Floca, the center’s vice president of facilities operations. The leadership change follows the board’s decision to rename the venue the Trump-Kennedy Center, which triggered widespread performance cancellations by major artists including composer Philip Glass and the Washington National Opera.

Grenell’s tenure was defined by confrontation with the arts community and selective media engagement. He attacked artists who criticized the center’s decisions and granted interviews exclusively to right-leaning news organizations, refusing to speak with outlets he deemed unfriendly. His defense of the Trump-branded renaming involved assailing major news outlets rather than addressing substantive concerns about the center’s new business model, which now requires performers to fund productions entirely in advance, departing from standard industry practice.

Trump’s control of the Kennedy Center has been absolute since he fired the entire board in early February 2025 and appointed himself chairman. Within a week, he named Grenell interim executive director as prominent artists including Shonda Rhimes and Renée Fleming withdrew from performances. The center announced an imminent two-year closure for renovations, a development that surprised employees and arts stakeholders still processing the institutional upheaval.

Trump praised Grenell’s work in a Truth Social post, calling him an “excellent” coordinator during the “transition period” and touting plans for the renovated center to become “the finest facility of its kind anywhere in the World.” The Kennedy Center declined to comment on Grenell’s departure, maintaining silence amid continued institutional turmoil driven by Trump’s takeover of the nation’s premier performing arts venue.

(Source: https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2026-03-13/kennedy-center-president-richard-grenell-replaced-matt-floca)

Trump Administration Extracts $10B Fee From TikTok Deal Investors

The Trump administration is set to receive approximately $10 billion from investors who gained control of TikTok’s U.S. operations through a deal completed in January 2026. Investors including Oracle, Silver Lake, and Abu Dhabi’s MGX paid the Treasury Department $2.5 billion when the deal closed and committed to making additional payments totaling $10 billion, according to sources familiar with the transaction. This arrangement represents an abuse of power, as Trump personally negotiated compensation for his administration’s role in facilitating the deal.

Trump explicitly justified the government fee by claiming the size of the deal and effort invested by his administration warranted compensation. In September, Trump stated that “The United States is getting a tremendous fee-plus” and indicated he did not want to “throw that out the window,” demonstrating his direct involvement in securing financial benefit for the executive branch. The administration’s extraction of $10 billion from private investors for brokering a transaction is nearly unprecedented, according to historians cited in reporting.

The deal structure allowed Trump-friendly investors to take control of TikTok’s U.S. operations from Chinese parent company ByteDance while the government extracted billions in fees. The new U.S. entity running TikTok operations is valued at approximately $14 billion in the deal, which tech analysts have characterized as dramatically undervaluing the company. This arrangement demonstrates how Trump weaponized regulatory authority to extract personal and governmental advantage from the TikTok situation.

Trump’s fee arrangement violates the separation of powers by allowing the executive branch to profit directly from private commercial transactions it facilitates. The payment structure, where investors loyal to Trump’s administration gain operational control while enriching the government, exemplifies how Trump uses public office for financial gain. This transaction contradicts Trump’s populist rhetoric about fighting for ordinary Americans while demonstrating his pattern of enriching himself and allies through governmental authority.

(Source: https://www.wsj.com/tech/tiktok-deal-fee-trump-administration-5aa31c9f)

Donald Trump tells House Republicans: SAVE America Act will ‘guarantee the midterms’

President Trump demanded House Republicans pass the SAVE America Act, claiming the voting restrictions bill will “guarantee the midterms” and threatening to block all other legislation until it passes. The measure requires proof of citizenship to register and photo ID to vote, cleared the House in February with a 218-213 vote, and stalled in the Senate where Democrats oppose it as voter suppression. Trump instructed Republicans to expand the bill with provisions banning mail-in voting except for illness, disability, military service, or travel, and prohibiting transgender athletes from women’s sports.

Trump declared at the House GOP annual conference in Florida that supporters demand the bill, stating “The people are demanding it. Every time I go out, save America! Save America!” He added that passage will secure Republican victories in midterms and future elections. Trump refused compromise, instructing Republicans to “go for the gold” and reject any watered-down version, saying “I’m not going to sign anything until this is approved.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer characterized the measure as “Jim Crow 2.0” that would disenfranchise tens of millions, stating Senate Democrats will not support it under any circumstances. Senate Majority Leader John Thune previously warned that forcing a voting rights blockade would derail government funding legislation and bipartisan housing affordability bills. On Monday, Thune called a talking filibuster “much more complicated and risky than people are assuming.”

Trump and Republican allies have pressured Thune to invoke a talking filibuster to bypass Democratic opposition, which would require continuous floor speeches before allowing a 51-vote passage. Trump stated Monday the Senate must approve the bill, saying “they’re going to have to go the filibuster, and maybe it’s going to be the talking filibuster.” This demand weaponizes the legislative process to strip voting protections after Trump previously threatened to bypass Congress on voter identification.

(Source: https://thehill.com/homenews/house/5776058-trump-republicans-save-america-act-midterms/?fbclid=IwdGRleAQdsa1leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEex7bhCMsV80DMDXzu1ndC-egejwQFV_z_eaV5pIVsdL5gPPCq6huJMQLeWng_aem_5W7f_iWpLLaUtqGIKFSOyA)

Trump Attacks Reporter for Citing Bill Barr’s Election Fraud Findings

President Donald Trump attacked PBS reporter Liz Landers as “rotten” on Wednesday after she confronted him with facts contradicting his false claims about the 2020 election. When Landers noted that his former attorney general Bill Barr found no widespread fraud in the 2020 election despite FBI seizures of Arizona and Georgia election records, Trump responded defensively and refused to acknowledge Barr’s documented conclusion.

Landers directly stated that Barr, Trump’s own attorney general in 2020, determined there was no measurable voter fraud capable of changing the election outcome. Trump rejected this fact, insisting the election was rigged while offering no evidence when pressed by the reporter. Rather than provide documentation or reasoning, Trump labeled Landers “rotten” for disagreeing with his false narrative.

Trump and Barr have a documented history of conflict over election fraud claims. Barr told NBC News in 2022 that he confronted Trump directly, calling his fraud allegations “bulls**t” and stating Trump’s team was wrong to promote them. Trump reacted with rage to this confrontation, according to Barr’s account.

When Barr endorsed Trump for president in 2024, Trump responded by mocking him publicly and attacking his record as attorney general. Trump posted on Truth Social that Barr “let a lot of great people down by not investigating Voter Fraud,” despite having previously called Barr weak and gutless. Trump’s attack on a reporter for citing his own attorney general’s findings demonstrates his pattern of weaponizing language against those who contradict his false claims, whether journalists or former officials.

(Source: https://www.mediaite.com/media/news/trump-blasts-rotten-reporter-after-she-reminds-him-his-own-ag-contradicted-his-election-claim/)

Trump Threatens Iran If It Mines Strait of Hormuz

President Trump issued a military threat against Iran on March 10th, 2026, demanding the immediate removal of naval mines from the Strait of Hormuz or face military consequences described as “at a level never seen before.” Trump posted on Truth Social that while his administration had no initial reports of mines being placed, any mines must be removed immediately or Iran would face severe military action. He followed this threat with a post claiming the U.S. had destroyed ten inactive mine-laying vessels within hours.

CNN reported Iran had begun mining the Strait of Hormuz, with a few dozen mines laid in recent days according to U.S. intelligence sources, though CBS News indicated mining “may be getting ready” rather than already underway. Intelligence sources stated Iran retained 80 to 90 percent of its mine-laying capability and possessed between 2,000 and 6,000 mines total, meaning hundreds more could be deployed. Trump’s threat came amid his unilateral Iran war that has deepened tensions without coordinating with allies on managing the fallout.

Oil markets reacted volatile to the threat and mining reports, with barrel prices surging to $116 on Monday before dropping to $86 by Tuesday afternoon, representing a 28 percent increase since Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s death. Trump claimed on Monday the war was “pretty much” complete and would wrap up “soon,” contradicting the escalatory nature of his latest threats. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated the U.S. has not yet begun escorting oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump’s demand for mine removal without diplomatic engagement reflects his pattern of issuing ultimatums rather than pursuing negotiated settlements. The threat to deploy military force at unprecedented levels escalates tensions in a region already destabilized by his unilateral military strikes without allied coordination. This approach prioritizes military action over diplomacy, potentially widening the conflict rather than resolving the underlying disputes.

(Source: https://www.mediaite.com/politics/trump-threatens-iran-with-never-seen-before-attack-if-it-mines-strait-of-hormuz/)

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