Trump Condemns FCC Plan for Expanding Network Reach, Citing “Fake News” Concerns

Newsmax CEO Christopher Ruddy praised President Donald Trump for strongly opposing his own FCC Chair Brendan Carr’s plans to expand local ownership caps, allowing major TV networks to increase their national reach. Ruddy stated, “The president is strongly standing with us, and he’s saying no expansion on this cap.” He criticized the FCC for wanting to allow big TV networks, which largely oppose Trump, to gain more consolidation and power.

Trump expressed his opposition over the weekend by reposting a Newsmax story on Truth Social, declaring, “No expansion of the fake news networks. If anything, make them smaller!” He warned that allowing network consolidation would let “radical left networks” grow larger. The Newsmax story detailed its opposition to the Nexstar-Tegna merger, which, if approved, would create the largest TV group in the nation.

Ruddy noted, “Nexstar, a very liberal station group, they’re looking for a merger that would give them 80% reach.” He mentioned Nexstar operates liberal cable news channel NewsNation, and highlighted that 78% of their donations in the last campaign went to Kamala Harris. Ruddy stated, “Our position is the FCC should not approve their merger,” emphasizing that lifting the cap combined with the proposed Nexstar-Tegna merger would fuel leftist media conglomerates.

At issue is an FCC proposal to remove the federal ownership cap, which currently prevents networks such as ABC, CBS, and NBC from owning stations reaching more than 39% of U.S. households. Ruddy warned that lifting the cap would be dangerous, noting, “If the FCC had done this rule change 10 years ago, President Trump would never have been elected.” He stated that Congress, not the FCC, set the 39% limit and the commission has “no legal authority to change it,” a view shared by Vanderbilt Law School professor Brian T. Fitzpatrick.

Ruddy vowed Newsmax would challenge any attempt to bypass federal law, citing Nexstar’s heavy support for Democrat candidates and its liberal-leaning NewsNation channel. Trump echoed these concerns, stating that ABC and NBC are “a virtual arm of the Democrat Party” and “should be viewed as an illegal campaign to the radical left.” Ruddy said Trump’s intervention gives momentum to a growing coalition opposed to lifting the cap, including CPAC, cable channel One America News, and multiple members of Congress.

Ruddy urged viewers to contact their congressman and senator to voice opposition to both lifting the TV cap and approving the Nexstar-Tegna merger. “Call your congressman and senator: Tell them you support President Trump and smaller networks,” he said, “you don’t want the FCC to lift the cap, and you don’t support the Nexstar merger.” He emphasized, “It’s very important that Congress hears from you.”

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 Nex star merger! Call U.S. Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121. Also call 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!

Eric Mack has been a writer and editor at Newsmax since 2016. He is a 1998 Syracuse University journalism graduate and a New York Press Association award-winning writer.
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