FCC chair blasts California Democrat's call to break up Sinclair over Kimmel dispute

WASHINGTON — Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr on Tuesday blasted California state Sen. Scott Wiener’s calls to break up Sinclair Broadcast Group, arguing the remarks illustrate Democrats’ willingness to wield government power to silence political opponents.

Sinclair announced on X that it would preempt Jimmy Kimmel Live! across its ABC affiliates starting Tuesday and replace the show with local news programming, with discussions continuing about the show's potential return. Nexstar Media Group, which owns 32 ABC affiliates, said it would continue the preemption. Disney had reinstated Kimmel on Tuesday after suspending him for several days following his remarks that suggested Charlie Kirk’s alleged assassin was a MAGA supporter.

Wiener, a Democrat from San Francisco, posted on X that he could not wait to break Sinclair up, arguing that corporate media consolidation does not align with democracy. He had earlier accused President Donald Trump and his allies of pressuring the media to bend to their will.

Carr responded to Wiener’s post, saying the remarks showed liberals projecting their willingness to use government power against opponents. He added that Democrats distort the issue by blaming Trump rather than Disney for Kimmel’s suspension. “Projection because Democrats are the ones that spent years illegally weaponizing government to silence dissent. And it is Democrats that will do it all again — as they are openly telling you today,” Carr wrote.

Sinclair is preempting all Jimmy Kimmel Live! showings with news programming. Carr praised Sinclair for standing up to Disney over its decision, calling it a sign that empowered local TV stations should determine programming to meet local needs. When asked for comment, Wiener’s representatives pointed to Wiener’s reply to Carr on X, in which Wiener quoted his prior remarks about breaking up Sinclair and about political pressure on the media.

The episode drew reaction from across the political spectrum. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, criticized the FCC, framing the dispute as a government overreach. He was among those who argued the situation resembled a mob shakedown rather than a measured policy discussion. Sinclair did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

The incident highlights ongoing tensions over media consolidation and the autonomy of local broadcasters to decide what to air, even as national programmers set broad scheduling. Carr reiterated that local stations, not the networks, bear public-interest obligations and should be able to determine programming choices that reflect their communities.