I’ve heard the same chilling message from broadcasters across the country. This is what government censorship looks like.

WATCH: On his podcast, Sen. Ted Cruz likened Trump’s FCC Chairman Brendan Carr to a mobster and called the government pressure to suspend Jimmy Kimmel “unbelievably dangerous.” FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez joins Chris Hayes to discuss that and more.

Anna Gomez, the lone Democrat on the US Federal Communications Commission, said President Donald Trump wouldn’t legally be able to make good on threats to pull TV station licenses over content he doesn’t like.

Jimmy Kimmel's show involves comedy and satire. It is not news. It is not meant to inform the public about a newsworthy event. No FCC rules were violated. The FCC has no business threatening broadcasters or censoring speech it does not like.

This Administration is increasingly using the weight of government power to suppress lawful expression. But that does not give the FCC the authority, the ability, or the constitutional right to police content or punish broadcasters for speech the government does not like.

The FCC licenses local broadcasters, not the national networks. It has no authority to pull their licenses. But the threats are the point. That's why ABC's capitulation is so disappointing. We cannot allow these corporate parents to trade away our First Amendment freedoms.

From the WSJ Editorial Board: "The political cycle of using government to punish opponents is taking the country into dark corners that will result in less freedom, and less free speech, for all sides. The best immediate remedy is getting the FCC out of the business of regulating media." I agree.

‘These threats are meant to chill speech’: FCC Commissioner speaks out about Kimmel’s removal www.msnbc.com/chris-jansin...

Anna Gomez, the sole FCC Commissioner appointed by a Democrat, said ABC "has put the foundation of the First Amendment in danger."

This FCC does not have the authority, the ability, or the constitutional right to police content or punish broadcasters for speech the government dislikes. Free speech is the foundation of our democracy, and we must push back against any attempt to erode it.

I will be joining @sarafischer.bsky.social at the @axios.com #MediaTrendsLive today in NYC at 3pm to discuss this latest attack on the First Amendment and free expression. Watch here: www.axios.com/2025/09/11/w...

An inexcusable act of political violence by one disturbed individual must never be exploited as justification for broader censorship and control. This Administration is increasingly using the weight of government power to suppress lawful expression. 🧵

As the keynote speaker at the Grassroots Radio Conference on Friday, commissioner @agomezfcc.bsky.social warned the FCC may "change the rules of the game entirely." "Congress placed limits on broadcast ownership precisely so that one entity would not control the majority of content we all consume."

I am shocked and horrified by the attack on Charlie Kirk. My deepest condolences to his family. Political violence has no place in America. We must all reject it.

The job of this FCC-imposed "truth" monitor must not be to judge whether independent reporting conforms to this Administration’s views and priorities. That’s a clear violation of the First Amendment and the law.

The FCC should be expanding internet access for students and seniors— not ripping it away. In California alone, hundreds of thousands of students rely on hotspots and school bus wi-fi. We can’t let partisan politics deepen the digital divide.

My Statement with Senator Van Hollen, and Congresswoman Meng Slamming the FCC Proposal to Rip Internet Access Away from Students.

Millions of students and seniors depend on hotspots and school bus Wi-Fi for homework and tele-health services. Now the FCC is moving to strip that connectivity away while doing nothing to make broadband more affordable. 🧵 www.fcc.gov/document/gom...

CBS followed a long-established journalistic practice of editing content for clarity and brevity, which happens in virtually every recorded interview by any news network. This is yet another effort by this Administration to pursue its campaign of censorship and control.

FCC Commissioner @agomezfcc.bsky.social — a champion of ensuring that ALL communities can access the communications tools they need — will be honored with this year's Newton N. Minow Award at #ParkerLecture2025.

The FCC’s role here raises serious concerns. Rather than serving as a neutral regulator, it once again mounted a pressure campaign on a private company, putting the agency’s thumb on the scale in ways that risks distorting the wireless marketplace to the detriment of consumers. 🧵

When powerful companies control more of our media, communities lose choice, accountability, and trust. The FCC has a duty to ensure our media system serves the public, not billion-dollar corporations.

I agree with these lawmakers led by @repbarragan.bsky.social. The FCC is defying the law by refusing to enforce rules to reduce out-of-control prison call rates. All to protect kickbacks for correctional facilities at the expense of the families of extremely vulnerable populations.

A government-sanctioned "truth arbiter" will soon arrive at CBS. Their role will be to ensure that journalists do not criticize this Administration or express views that conflict with its agenda. This is a betrayal—not just of journalistic independence, but of the public trust. 🧵

Despite FCC’s legal obligation to refrain from censorship, @agomezfcc.bsky.social tells @columjournreview.bsky.social that a local station manager instructed their reporters to “be extra careful about how they described the administration, because they couldn’t afford to be dragged before the FCC.”

Billion-dollar companies do not need our help in their negotiations with the even larger and powerful national networks. This will do nothing to help the small, independent, and local broadcast stations that are at-risk of closing shop.

Apparently, having a different opinion than the Administration is now political bias. This Administration wants to go after anyone it disagrees with. That is a clear violation of the First Amendment and the law.

Those now feigning concern over low public trust in the media are the same ones who spent the last decade attacking and deliberately sowing distrust in media. We must fight back against efforts to intimidate and harass anyone who questions power.

Those now feigning concern over low public trust in the media are the same ones who spent the last decade attacking and deliberately sowing distrust in media. We must fight back against efforts to intimidate and harass anyone who questions power.

After months of cowardly capitulation to this Administration, Paramount finally got what it wanted. Now it's time for companies, journalists, and citizens alike to stand up and speak out, because unchecked and unquestioned power has no rightful place in America. I dissent. 🧵

New Paramount will capitulate to grant this FCC never-before-seen controls over newsroom decisions and editorial content. They are also happy to undermine efforts to combat discrimination and expand equal opportunity. How easy it is to sell out principle for profit.

NO BACKROOM DEALS! Company executives are coming to the FCC to negotiate their capitulation. The public deserves to know what First Amendment freedoms they're willing to give away for regulatory approval. The full Commission must vote on this transaction. deadline.com/2025/07/davi...

Senator Lisa Murkowski explains how public media can help save lives 👇🏼

While baseless attacks against public media target national brands like NPR and PBS, defunding public stations will have the greatest impact on small and rural communities. This is just the latest example of this Administration's campaign to censor and control speech. 🧵

In yet another cynical bid to win FCC regulatory approval, T-Mobile is making a mockery of its professed commitment to eliminating discrimination, promoting fairness, and amplifying underrepresented voices. History will not be kind to this cowardly corporate capitulation. 🧵

We wholeheartedly agree with @agomezfcc.bsky.social: "Rather than enforce the law, the Commission is now stalling, shielding a broken system that inflates costs and rewards kickbacks to correctional facilities at the expense of incarcerated individuals and their loved ones."

As we grieve for the lives lost in Texas, we cannot ignore the need to prepare for every scenario during this hurricane season. That includes ensuring wireless emergency alerts reach consumers in a language they understand. The FCC must prioritize this lifesaving tool.

Instead of standing on principle, Paramount opted for a payout. That decision now casts a long shadow over the integrity of the transaction pending before the FCC. I once again urge the FCC to bring this matter before the full Commission for a vote. 🧵

🚨The FCC just announced it will defy federal law. It is delaying implementation of the bipartisan Martha Wright-Reed Act, a bill authored by Senator @duckworth.senate.gov that ensures prison communications are priced fairly and no longer exploit incarcerated people and their families. 🧵

By taking away funding for the 988 Suicide Prevention Hotline for LGBTQ+ Americans, this Administration is making callous, heartless decisions about who may live and who may die.  Because that will be the end result: young people in crisis will lose their lives.

Welcome, Commissioner Trusty! I have known her for many years now, and I have nothing but respect for her. I am hopeful we will find ways to collaborate to further the mission of the agency.

I’m glad the Supreme Court has upheld the constitutionality of the USF, providing Congress with the clarity and confidence it needs to continue to pursue a bipartisan, bicameral solution to protect this vital program.

From @dailyyonder.bsky.social: FCC’s First Amendment Tour Arrives in Kentucky dailyyonder.com/fccs-first-a...

For the latest stop of my First Amendment Tour, I traveled to rural Kentucky. This Administration’s unprecedented efforts to censor and control speech reach every community, including the coal towns and mountain communities of Eastern Kentucky.

@agomezfcc.bsky.social, the lone Dem at the FCC, is on a national tour speaking out against what she sees as efforts by Trump to undermine the 1st Amendment. Her first two stops included LA and Washington D.C. Her latest stop? Letcher County. kentuckylantern.com/2025/06/18/p... @kentuckylantern.com

I want to congratulate Olivia Trusty on her confirmation and welcome her to the FCC. I have known Olivia for years and have been very impressed with her strong background in communications policy, which will be a great asset to this agency.

ICYMI: Listen to "Speaking Truth to Trump’s FCC," a new episode about the FCC’s efforts to punish broadcasters for airing content the Trump admin doesn’t like & the threat to #pressfreedom. With @katiefallow.bsky.social & FCC Commissioner @agomezfcc.bsky.social. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s...

We spoke to FCC Commissioner @agomezfcc.bsky.social and legal expert Ezra Reese about federal agencies’ attacks on the First Amendment. Read more about our conversation or watch the whole thing.

A visceral example of this Administration's aggressive tactics to silence dissent and punish critics. Think about this: if they can do this to a sitting United States Senator like @padilla.senate.gov, what will they do to you?