Policyband Special Report: Exclusive Interview with FCC Chairman Brendan Carr
President Trump's communications point man breaks out his fall agenda
In a new interview, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr outlines his policy agenda for the balance of 2025 and beyond, highlighted by his Build America Agenda, the effort to purge deadwood regulations, and the need to safeguard U.S. national security interests against foreign adversaries by withdrawing recognition of China-linked Bad Labs that approve electronics used in U.S. markets. Carr also offered his take on the impact of EchoStar’s recent spectrum sales to AT&T and SpaceX/Starlink, Nexstar’s announced purchase of TEGNA, and his effort to neutralize contraband cell phones in state prisons.
The interview was conducted in Carr’s office in Washington, D.C., on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025 with Policyband editor Ted Hearn.
Q: Can you take a minute just to lay out a few key priorities for the balance of 2025?
Carr: I think one of the biggest things since we spoke last was we laid out the FCC's Build America Agenda, and that is going to govern the lion's share of what we do, probably not just this year, but beyond as well.
We rolled out the Build America speech out in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and it's got a number of core components, from restoring U.S. leadership in wireless to unleashing new, high-speed builds to promoting national security. We've made a lot of progress on many of those already.
There's more to come. For instance, this month, we're voting on two items that are designed to do permitting reform so we can accelerate those builds. And on restoring U.S leadership in wireless, the C band auction that we have to conduct within the next two years is probably one of the top priorities inside the building as well, getting that done successfully. (More after paywall.)
