FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez Speaks Out Against Trump Actions

Anna Gomez, the last remaining Democratic commissioner at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), finds herself in a uniquely precarious position amid the Trump administration’s reshaping of federal agencies. Despite the uncertainty surrounding her tenure, Gomez has embarked on a nationwide tour to speak out against what she describes as efforts by President Donald Trump and FCC Chair Brendan Carr to censor and control American speech.

Gomez accuses the FCC under Carr’s leadership of weaponizing its authority to silence critics and launching sham investigations into major news outlets such as NPR, PBS, ABC, CBS, and NBC. This aggressive stance raises concerns about the independence of the agency and the protection of free speech, especially as the commission’s quorum has been lost with the recent departures of other commissioners.

The FCC’s quorum is essential for voting on significant regulatory actions. Without it, only limited bureau-level decisions can proceed, which Gomez warns may bypass necessary oversight and judicial review. She specifically criticized the bureau-level approval of Verizon’s $20 billion acquisition of Frontier as a “backroom” deal and cautions against similar handling of other major transactions like Paramount’s proposed Skydance deal.

Despite the tension, Gomez maintains a surprisingly good working relationship with Chair Carr, acknowledging that while they disagree, they communicate openly. She remains uncertain why President Trump has not yet moved to fire her, noting that he has not nominated any Democrats to the administration and has instead removed several.

Gomez also touched on potential conflicts of interest involving Elon Musk’s companies, such as SpaceX’s Starlink, which could benefit from FCC policies. While she does not have full insight into how these conflicts are managed, she trusts the agency’s general counsel and leadership to uphold ethical standards.

Throughout her First Amendment tour, Gomez has found bipartisan support, emphasizing that protecting free speech is not a partisan issue but a fundamental democratic principle. She urges citizens and officials alike to speak up and resist normalization of censorship and agency overreach.