Leader Schumer Floor Remarks On Donald Trump And Brendan Carr Exploiting Government Power To Threaten The Fundamental Right Of Free Speech

Washington, D.C. - Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor on Donald Trump and the FCC Chairman, Brendan Carr, eroding American democracy by attacking free speech. Below are Senator Schumer's remarks, which can also be viewed here:

We are in a moment of peril, dire peril, in America.

Because yesterday, Donald Trump said he intends to put a dagger through the heart of what America is about when he said that he doesn't believe in free speech and that maybe the licenses and ability to speak of people and broadcast companies that disagree with him should be taken away.

When Donald Trump said the FCC should consider revoking licenses of networks with shows and hosts who are "against me" and who "give me only bad publicity," he is talking about a dictatorship.

That's what dictatorships do. They shut down anyone who disagrees with them. But that's what he's threatening to do today with Brendan Carr.

He said, "I would think maybe their license should be taken away. It will be up to Brendan Carr."

That is censorship. It is disgusting. It is a violation of the First Amendment. What Trump is doing is coming right out of the Xi's and Putin's playbook.

He is launching in broad daylight a naked attack on perhaps the most basic freedom in America - free speech.

For hundreds of years, America has been proud to be a land of free speech. And Donald Trump is the first president who really attempts to put a dagger through the heart.

Where are our Republican colleagues? They know this is wrong. Silence, obeisance to Donald Trump's destruction of free speech and democracy.

He is launching in broad daylight an attack on one of the most basic freedoms in America, which is free speech.

And it's being channeled through his lackey at the FCC, Brendan Carr, who coerced ABC to suspend Jimmy Kimmel for his comments that he or Trump didn't like.

Donald Trump's attack on free speech is despicable.

It's anti-American. It's the road to dictatorship.

And it's not the first time Donald Trump does this. He is launching investigations into companies to bully him into submission.

And it's not just late-night talk show hosts - Donald Trump and MAGA have said they will try to silence others.

When Chairman Carr goes on a podcast and says the FCC "can do this the easy way or the hard way" to make sure Kimmel is silenced, that is an attack on every single media outlet, whether it's traditional or digital.

That is an attack on every single American.

So today, I am with Senators Markey and Luján calling out Chairman Carr.

We demand to know how the FCC defines "public interest" under Chairman Carr, which networks must adhere to.

Did Chairman Carr or did his staff communicate with Disney, ABC, or their affiliates?

We all know the murder of Charlie Kirk was abhorrent and evil, plain and simple.

But it's repulsive that the Trump administration is exploiting this tragic death as an excuse to go after anyone they don't like politically, including by silencing free speech.

And while Donald Trump tries to take away people's freedoms, Republicans in Congress are bowing in obeisance to his throne, because they're too scared to stand up to him. They know he will cast retribution on them, as he has on networks and people in the press.

In conclusion, freedom of speech is as fundamental as it gets in America.

Everyone knows that. Republicans know that. Conservatives know that. For the longest time, everyone, Ronald Reagan on down, has defended free speech.

But if you lose freedom of speech, it's the road to autocracy.

Chairman Carr is one of the greatest threats to free speech in American history.

He must resign immediately. And if not, Trump should fire him.

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