President-elect Trump appoints a notorious critic of big tech companies to head the US FCC. With this step, further antitrust investigations seem to be a matter of time.

The re-elected President Donald Trump wants to make Brendan Carr head of the USA Federal Communications Commission (FCC). This appointment is important for the behavior of tech giants such as Google, Meta and Microsoft. In Europe, such companies have long been the subject of antitrust investigations, while in the USA a more lenient approach has traditionally been taken. However, this has recently changed and with Carr the hunt for Big Tech seems to have really begun.

The appointment offers rare clarity. Among other things, Trump wants to put a television host from his favorite show at the head of the Defense Department and is appointing Matt Gaetz, who is despised by Democrats and Republicans and suspected of human trafficking and sexual misconduct, as prosecutor. What this means for politics is difficult to predict.

Clear (political) mission

Carr, on the other hand, is an experienced regulator with a clear mission: fewer rules in general, more rules for the tech giants and punishment for media and tech companies that he believes have a political bias. We find that a pro-Trump preference is not under attack.

Carr describes Apple, Meta, Google and Microsoft as a “censorship cartel” that needs to be broken up. He apparently plans to significantly expand the FCC’s mandate to limit the power of the tech giants. While the EU regulates primarily through fair competition, the Americans are facing four years of politically motivated regulation.

Big impact

During Trump’s previous term, Ajit Pai led the FCC. The agency was then shown to have the power to target the average American, including by eliminating net neutrality. There is little reason to doubt that Carr will try to get the best out of the FCC.

We previously analyzed what Trump’s victory would mean for the tech sector. In it, we pointed out that AI deregulation is likely on the agenda, but these plans don’t mean the tech companies have a friend in the White House. It seems that the predicted four tough years for Google and Co. are becoming reality.