Senate Confirms Olivia Trusty to the FCC

The Senate confirmed Republican Olivia Trusty to serve on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Tuesday, marking another appointment by President Donald Trump at the agency. The vote concluded with a tally of 53-45, with Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) being the only Democrat to support her nomination.

Trusty will join Republican Chair Brendan Carr and Democratic Commissioner Anna Gomez on the panel, while two seats remain vacant. President Trump has yet to nominate individuals for these positions. According to FCC regulations, no more than three commissioners can belong to the same political party. Gomez had previously been appointed to the agency. Former Republican Commissioner Nathan Simington, a supporter of Trump, announced his resignation, stating that Trump’s return to office would be a “time for retribution.”

Trusty previously served as the top Republican on the Commerce Committee, which oversees the FCC and related issues. Commerce Committee Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-WA) expressed her opposition to Trusty’s confirmation in a letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) on Monday, citing concerns regarding the Trump administration’s policies. “Although I respect the nominee’s professional background, when I spoke in support of Ms. Trusty’s nomination in Committee on April 30, I explained that my support was not absolute,” Cantwell wrote. “Since then, the Trump Administration has pursued a series of concerning policies, leading me to oppose Ms. Trusty’s nomination.”

Cantwell raised concerns that Trusty’s nomination was not accompanied by a Democratic nominee, which she described as inconsistent with longstanding practices. She referenced Trump’s previous actions regarding another independent agency, whose commissioners the Supreme Court has ruled cannot be dismissed without cause. “I remain seriously concerned that this Administration will try to illegally terminate Democratic Commissioner Anna Gomez, refuse to nominate any Democratic replacements, and then operate the Commission on a strictly partisan basis,” Cantwell stated.

“These are not normal times”

Trusty’s confirmation provides Carr with a 2-1 Republican majority, enabling him to advance his agenda, which includes various regulatory actions. “I look forward to welcoming Olivia to the Commission as a colleague and advancing an agenda that will deliver great results for the American people,” Carr remarked.

Commissioner Gomez also praised Trusty’s qualifications and welcomed her to the panel. “I have known Olivia for years and have been very impressed with her strong background in communications policy, which will be a great asset to this agency,” Gomez stated.

Matt Wood, Vice President of Policy and General Counsel of the nonpartisan group Free Press Action, commented on the implications of Trusty’s confirmation. “In normal times, there’d be little reason to oppose the confirmation of a candidate as qualified as Trusty. But these are not normal times,” he said. Wood expressed concerns that Trusty’s confirmation would enable Carr to significantly reshape the media sector in alignment with Trump’s vision, potentially favoring large broadcasters in exchange for their loyalty to the president.