President Donald Trump came out swinging against his own FCC chairman over plans that would allow major TV networks to significantly expand their national reach.
"NO EXPANSION OF THE FAKE NEWS NETWORKS. If anything, make them SMALLER! President DJT," he posted on Truth Social.
Trump included in his post a link to a recent Newsmax report, "Newsmax CEO Ruddy: FCC Lifting TV Cap 'Disaster' for Conservatives."
The Newsmax story reported that the network opposes a merger plan involving Nexstar, which is seeking to acquire Tegna. The deal would create the nation's largest TV station group, with 244 stations across 44 states.
Nexstar operates the liberal-leaning news channel NewsNation, hosted by Chris Cuomo in prime time. The company leans heavily Democrat, with Nexstar employees having given 78% of their donations to Kamala Harris in the 2024 election.
Newsmax CEO Chris Ruddy, a longtime friend of the president, has been outspoken in opposing both the merger and any FCC plan to lift the current ownership cap.
Ruddy pointed out that President Ronald Reagan established the TV ownership cap in the 1980s to prevent large networks from controlling most local stations — and, by extension, local news.
Congress later raised the cap to 39%. Nexstar is now urging the FCC to ignore the cap, disregard federal law, and allow the company to reach more than 80% of U.S. households.
Responding to those concerns, Trump wrote: "If this would also allow the Radical Left Networks to 'enlarge,' I would not be happy. ABC & NBC, in particular, are a disaster — A VIRTUAL ARM OF THE DEMOCRAT PARTY."
He added that the major networks "should be viewed as an illegal campaign to the Radical Left."
Reaction to Trump's announcement was swift.
"How more clear could the president be?" Ruddy said. "He doesn't support bigger media networks and granting them more power. Period."
CPAC Chairman Matt Schlapp also weighed in, telling Newsmax, "We applaud President Trump for standing up for all Americans who want fair TV networks — and who oppose media consolidation with no TV caps."
CPAC had previously filed with the FCC to strongly oppose any plan to lift the 39% cap.
Any FCC effort to change the congressionally mandated cap would rest on tenuous legal grounds.
On Monday, Vanderbilt Law School professor Brian T. Fitzpatrick — a respected conservative legal scholar and former law clerk to the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia — filed an ex parte brief with the FCC.
He argued that any attempt by the Commission to change ownership rules without congressional approval would clearly violate federal law.
He further stated that FCC attempts to bypass the statutory cap through waivers or "sidecar" deals would likewise violate the law.
Ruddy noted that Americans still receive nearly all of their local news from local TV stations.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has advocated lifting the cap, arguing that the move would help counter the power of Big Tech.
"The answer to Big Tech consolidation is not to give left-wing TV broadcasters massive consolidation and power, too," Ruddy said. "You don't fix Big Tech consolidation by creating another industry with massive left-wing consolidation."
Important: Let your Congressman and Senator know you oppose massive TV broadcast reach and consolidation, that you oppose lifting the TV ownership caps, and oppose the Nexstar merger!
Call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121.
Also call the offices of Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Leader John Thune to let them know you oppose Brendan Carr's FCC plan to end the TV ownership cap!
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