Brendan Carr says he'll let Pete Hegseth decide whether TV networks can air the public execution

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said he will leave the question of whether television networks may broadcast a federal execution to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Carr made the remarks in a CNBC interview, according to The Verge. The Pentagon has said it intends to livestream the execution of a convicted shooter.

Carr told CNBC that he understands the execution will not air on broadcast television, which he said means the FCC has no role in the matter either way. He added that he trusts Hegseth, saying the secretary has carried out the laws and regulations relevant to the Department of War and is handling the issues well. Carr said he believes Hegseth is making the correct call.

Pressed on whether the execution could appear on broadcast TV if the Defense Department sought it, Carr said the decision belongs to Hegseth. He said the agency would ultimately defer to the secretary on how to proceed. The FCC regulates public airwaves, while the Pentagon's planned livestream would likely run on an online platform outside the commission's jurisdiction, the report noted.

Broadcast networks commonly carry live video of government events, which gives Carr's agency authority over what reaches viewers through public airwaves. The Pentagon has not said which platform would host the stream, and it remains unclear whether any broadcaster would request to carry it. Carr's comments leave the question of broadcast access in Hegseth's hands rather than the FCC's.

The Verge asked several major technology companies whether they would permit the execution livestream on their platforms. As of the publication of that report, YouTube, Twitch, Meta and X had not responded to requests for comment. None of the companies has publicly stated a position on carrying the stream.

The episode touches on the split between online distribution and traditional broadcast, a boundary that has shaped US media policy debates. Because the Pentagon's plan points to an online stream, the FCC's authority over public airwaves may not apply, even as broadcasters weigh whether to seek access. Carr's stated deference to Hegseth means the Defense Department, not the communications regulator, would decide whether the execution reaches broadcast audiences.

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