Brendan Carr blasted Stephen Colbert and Texas State Consultant James Talarico as pretend “victims” over their interview drama with CBSsuggesting the duo drastically exaggerated the state of affairs.
The FCC chairman addressed the controversy on Fox Information’ “The Ingraham Angle” Wednesday, the place he slammed “The Late Present” state of affairs as manufactured drama created by Colbert with a purpose to garner “consideration and clicks” for Talarico’s marketing campaign.
“Properly, President Trump has been so forward of the curve on so many points, as you famous, on the financial system, on border safety and maybe nowhere else when he referred to as out the legacy media for being pretend information,” Carr instructed host Laura Ingraham. “And yesterday the American folks noticed it on full show. It’s why folks have extra belief and religion in gasoline station sushi in the present day than they do within the legacy information media.”
He continued: “This was Democrat-on-Democrat violence. CBS was very clear that Colbert may run the interview with that political candidate. They simply mentioned you could have to adjust to equal time, which might’ve meant doubtlessly giving airtime to (Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX)) and one other candidate. However, as an alternative of doing that, they claimed that they have been victims. This was all about a politician getting consideration and clicks and the information media ran with it like lemmings.”
When requested if Carr would’ve launched a probe into the interview if it had aired, as Colbert beforehand steered, the FCC chairman mentioned he would “implement” the equal-time guidelines.
“However complying would imply extra airtime for extra Democrats to say no matter it’s that they need,” Carr mentioned. “The equal-time rule at its core is about stopping legacy media from choosing winners and losers in elections.”
Carr’s feedback come hours after he confirmed the company was investigating “The View” for doubtlessly violating its equal-time rule over its interview with Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Talarico.
🚨 “FAKE NEWS” — ON FULL DISPLAY
“Individuals have extra belief and religion in gasoline station sushi in the present day than they do within the legacy information media.”@BrendanCarrFCC: “President Trump was forward of the curve when he referred to as it pretend information — and yesterday the American folks noticed it on full… pic.twitter.com/WQB2azJfrZ
— Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) February 19, 2026
“The FCC has an enforcement motion underway on that, and we’re looking at it,” Carr instructed reporters at a press convention on Wednesday. Carr expressed an identical sentiment on Fox Information, including, “We’ve began enforcement proceedings, looking at that. And, once more, we’re going to carry broadcasters accountable.”
Talarico appeared on this system’s Feb. 2 episode, weeks after his opponent, Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett, made an look. In reality, it was this drama that seemingly sparked the stress between CBS and Colbert, who mentioned he moved his interview with Talarico to YouTube after strain from the community’s legal professionals amid FCC issues.
“He was alleged to be right here, however we have been instructed in no unsure phrases by our community’s legal professionals who referred to as us immediately that we couldn’t have him on the printed,” Colbert mentioned on Monday. “Then I used to be instructed in some unsure phrases that, not solely may I not have him on, I couldn’t point out me not having him on. And since my community clearly doesn’t need us to speak about this, let’s speak about this.”
Talarico later weighed in on Tuesday, sharing on MS NOW, “It must be troubling to all of us, no matter our political affiliations or our political views, that essentially the most highly effective folks within the nation, essentially the most highly effective politicians and essentially the most highly effective company executives are working collectively to promote out the First Modification, to promote out our freedom of speech, with a purpose to shield their very own energy and their very own wealth.”
Nonetheless, CBS responded to Colbert’s claims with their very own assertion, defending that “‘The Late Present’ was not prohibited by CBS from broadcasting the interview with Rep. James Talarico.”
“The present was offered authorized steerage that the printed may set off the FCC equal-time rule for 2 different candidates, together with Rep. Jasmine Crockett, and introduced choices for a way the equal time for different candidates could possibly be fulfilled,” the assertion continued. “‘The Late Present’ determined to current the interview via its YouTube channel with on-air promotion on the printed reasonably than doubtlessly offering the equal-time choices.”
But, Colbert hit again throughout Tuesday night’s broadcast for “The Late Present,” the place he claimed that “each phrase of (his) script final night time was accredited by CBS’ legal professionals.”
