FCC Chair Brendan Carr's Chapter of Project 2025 Called for Freedom of Speech

Back in 2022, when the idea of a second Trump presidency didn't seem possible, a conservative-leaning think tank known as The Heritage Foundation helped author Project 2025. This was a conservative policy agenda that would ultimately be the roadmap for President Trump's second term. It was also written by 140 former Trump staffers who painstakingly laid out a plan to "replace the rule of law with right-wing ideals," per the ACLU.

The manual is 900 pages in length and, as of September 2025, has achieved nearly half of its goals, per the Project 2025 Tracker. Regarding immigration, Project 2025 wanted to install Tom Homan as a Border Czar in Trump's second term. He joined The Heritage Foundation in February 2022 and contributed to Project 2025. They accomplished that goal. That's just one example. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr is another Project 2025 author who wrote that agency's chapter. Here's what we know.

For those who don't know, the Federal Communications Commission regulates U.S. internet access and communications networks such as TV and radio. When it comes to free speech, the FCC adheres to the First Amendment, which states the federal government "shall make no law … abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press."

Some of Carr's goals as outlined in Project 2025 address tech giants like Google, Meta, and others. "Today, a handful of corporations can shape everything from the information we consume to the places we shop," he wrote. "These corporate behemoths are not merely exercising market power, they are abusing dominant positions." Carr wants to make these companies responsible for libelous statements made by its users. He also wanted more transparency regarding algorithm changes.

Carr also focused on broadcast companies like CBS and NBC, supporting President Trump's allegations that they were engaging in political bias against conservatives. This is particularly noteworthy following ABC's decision to pull Jimmy Kimmel Live! off air indefinitely in September 2025. While the Disney subsidiary didn't cite a reason, many believe it is related to remarks Kimmel made in reference to the assassination of right-wing podcast host Charlie Kirk.

Brian Stelter, the Chief Media Analyst for CNN, reached out to Carr for a comment about ABC pulling Kimmel's show. In a post to X, Stelter revealed that Carr responded with a gif from The Office in which Michael Scott (Steve Carell) and Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson) are dancing and raising the proverbial roof.

Anderson Cooper had Stelter on Anderson Cooper 360, where he asked the media analyst about Carr's response. Stelter said he and Carr had been in touch for months as he was reporting on the FCC. "He's been very aggressive about using the media to try and pressure companies like Disney," explained Stelter. Carr also texted Stelter, celebrating Nexstar's decision to pressure ABC affiliates to pull Kimmel's show off the air.

When actor Kevin McHale posted, "This was all in Project 2025, btw," referencing the Jimmy Kimmel situation, Carr responded with a gif of Jack Nicholson grinning and nodding. A few people have pointed out Carr's hypocrisy by sharing a screenshot of a post he made to X back in February 2019. "Should the government censor speech it doesn't like?" asked Carr. "Of course not," he said. Apparently, that didn't last.