Source: The UnPopulist
by Paul Matzko
“Trump has a lengthy history of calling for broadcasters to have their licenses revoked after they criticize his conduct or policies. For example, in 2017 he wanted NBC to have its broadcast licenses revoked by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) because of that network’s coverage of his call to exponentially increase the size of the U.S. nuclear arsenal. Many legal scholars have pointed out that broadcast licenses do not work that way — they’re tied to individual stations, not networks — and Trump does not have the authority to order the FCC to target his critics. Nonetheless, these episodes reveal Trump’s censorial intent even if they simultaneously expose how poorly he understands the mechanisms of governance. … it is worth considering how a future administration that combines Trump’s lack of principle with a modicum of administrative ability could deploy the federal government’s broadcast regulatory apparatus to extract partisan benefit.” (10/15/24)
https://www.theunpopulist.net/p/act-now-to-prevent-trump-from-weaponizing