FCC Chairman Brendan Carr on censorship, Rep. Brandon Gill’s office opening, and more!

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr on censorship, Rep. Brandon Gill’s office opening goes off great; Heard on the Hill; and more!

March 20, 2025

Let’s dive in.

1. INTERVIEW: FCC Chairman Brendan Carr talks TikTok and Big Tech censorship: “a multi-vector effort to disrupt and jeopardize America's national security”

2. INTERVIEW: Rep. Brandon Gill's office opening goes off without a hitch amid scrutiny of allegedly paid Democrat protesters

3. Heard on the Hill

4. EXCLUSIVE: How Louisiana trial lawyers could jeopardize Trump's energy policies

5. EXCLUSIVE: Why Donald Trump and his top Cabinet officials met with Conor McGregor

6. SCOOP: Inside Tulsi Gabbard's multi-nation trip to "advance President Trump's America First policies across the Indo-Pacific"

7. Why the Biden Pill Penalty has been a disaster for Americans

8. OPINIONATED: Rep. Mike Haridopolos on private space flight and Rep. Max Miller on moving NASA to Ohio

If you have a tip you would like to anonymously submit, please use our tip form — your anonymity is guaranteed!

INTERVIEW: FCC Chairman Brendan Carr talks TikTok and Big Tech censorship: “a multi-vector effort to disrupt and jeopardize America's national security”

by the Washington Reporter and Matthew Foldi

THE LOWDOWN:

• FCC Chairman Brendan Carr sat down with the Washington Reporter to discuss Huawei, TikTok, and more.

• Carr told the Reporter that the CCP is “engaged in a multi-front, multi-technology, multi-vector effort to disrupt and jeopardize America's national security” and that one of “the very first ways that they came into the country, from a technology perspective, was by getting Huawei gear placed in telecom networks all across the country.”

• When it comes to the sale of TikTok, Carr told the Reporter that he is “very confident that this administration and the relevant actors are going to find a path forward that, in [his] view, hopefully allows the application to continue working here, and does so in a way that safeguards national security.”

• On the subject of the deplatforming and silencing of Americans under the Biden administration, Carr told the Reporter that “censorship really hurt the country” and decried it as “downright un-American.”

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr was DOGE-ing his agency before the concept became mainstream.

During the Biden administration, Carr was a constant thorn in the side of the White House, exposing its multi-billion dollar boondoggles like its failed plan to expand rural broadband, which he likened to turning “the spigot on full blast and walk[ing] away from the hose” in an interview with the Washington Reporter.

Following President Donald Trump’s historic win, Commissioner Carr was promoted to Chairman Carr — now, atop the FCC he has a front-row seat to leading tech policy issues of the day. Two of those top issues deal with Chinese Communist Party (CCP)-owned companies: Huawei and TikTok.

Carr told the Reporter that the CCP is “engaged in a multi-front, multi-technology, multi-vector effort to disrupt and jeopardize America's national security” and that one of “the very first ways that they came into the country, from a technology perspective, was by getting Huawei gear placed in telecom networks all across the country.”

“A couple years ago, I was actually up in Maelstrom Air Force Base, which is in Great Falls, Montana,” Carr said. “It is a place that's basically in the middle of nowhere.”

“It's blue sky country. It's wheat fields for miles, except dotted throughout that area is the country's ICBM missile silos buried underground all across that part of the country, and there's not a lot going on up there,” he continued. “There's not a lot of people up there, except there happened to be a lot of high-powered Huawei gear strategically placed across that part of the country.”

“And we very clearly and early on saw a pattern of Huawei gear going into areas of the country where the dominant feature was sensitive military installations,” Carr added.

The FCC chairman noted that one “thing that President Trump did early on his first term is he very clearly saw the threat that the Communist Party of China posed in DC for decades on a bipartisan basis, politicians were sort of blind to the threat that China posed, and President Trump came in, took a tough stance on Huawei, and ever since then, we've been engaged in the process of identifying and removing that Huawei gear from the network.”

INTERVIEW: Rep. Brandon Gill's office opening goes off without a hitch amid scrutiny of allegedly paid Democrat protesters

by the Washington Reporter

THE LOWDOWN:

• Rep. Brandon Gill opened his Flower Mound, Texas, office to fanfare — and without disruption from liberal protesters who have been targeting Republican events across America.

• Gill sat down with the Reporter on Thursday at the ribbon cutting and open house of his district office, saying that they hosted “probably 200 people here,” including “supporters from all across the district, local grassroots activists, Chamber of Commerce members, other local business leaders.”

• Gill said he thinks that the support from his supporters comes from his positioning as a staunch conservative leader in Congress.

• Gill said he believes that the increase in Republican voters in America comes from the fact that “the American people to their core do lean more conservative than they lean liberal, and polls have shown that for decades.”

FLOWER MOUND, Texas — Rep. Brandon Gill (R., Texas) opened his Flower Mound, Texas, office to fanfare — and without disruption from liberal protesters who have been targeting Republican events across America.

Gill sat down with the Reporter on Thursday at the ribbon cutting and open house of his district office, saying that they hosted “probably 200 people here,” including “supporters from all across the district, local grassroots activists, Chamber of Commerce members, other local business leaders.”

“But you're right, we didn't have a single protester here,” Gill said. The Texas freshman said he thinks one of the reasons behind that case is because the people of his district, Texas’ 26 congressional district, are “looking for a conservative fighter to represent them in Washington.”

“And we have been in the middle of every single major political fight over the past three months,” he continued. “That's what they want. That's what they're looking for. That's what the the American people, our base, is looking for. So I think, you know, we certainly we're happy with the reception here, and happy to have to see all of our supporters.”

Gill said he thinks that the support from his supporters comes from his positioning as a staunch conservative leader in Congress. He said that, for “decades, there was what was often referred to as the silent majority, and it was the conservative half of the country, and I think that it was more than half.”

“It really was the majority who were getting beaten down constantly. The left was dominant. They've taken over every single facet of civil society. They've run our foreign policy into the ground. They've run our economy into the ground. They've opened up our borders and unleashed hell on our people. And there's been this silent majority who are sitting and waiting for somebody to be their voice.”

“I think President Trump certainly is the voice for that silent majority. I hope to also be a voice for those people because we cannot have half the country that is not represented in Washington,” he added.

HEARD ON THE HILL

• DEEP-SEEDED: Congressional Republicans have seen pushback from agriculture on some of HHS’s initiatives, as evidenced by the Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R., Va.) op-ed below. The Administration is going to face a balancing act navigating the sometimes divergent interests of the MAHA movement and farmers.

• RAVE REVIEWS: A source close to the Trump administration also praised Rep. Bob Goodlatte’s op-ed as making “a convincing case for the importance of seed oil farmers to both lower grocery prices and to work with the administration to Make America Healthy Again.” The source also noted that “[n]o one loves our farmers more than President Trump.”

• XI YOU LATER: While on the main stage of the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi, Meta’s Joel Kaplan forcefully defended the company’s decision to not do business in China, which he said allowed it to better focus on pro-free expression policies.

• NO AGUA PARA TI: The State Department’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs announced a historic denial of Mexico’s non-treaty request for a special delivery channel for Colorado River water to be delivered to Tijuana because of “Mexico's continued shortfalls in its water deliveries under the 1944 water-sharing treaty [that] are decimating American agriculture--particularly farmers in the Rio Grande valley.”

EXCLUSIVE: How Louisiana trial lawyers could jeopardize Trump's energy policies

by Matthew Foldi

THE LOWDOWN:

• While Louisiana is one of America’s most Republican states, energy experts are warning the Washington Reporter that a new lawsuit could destroy President Donald Trump’s energy agenda.

• Ocean waters have eroded about 2,000 square miles of Louisiana land since the 1930s. “There’s little doubt those islands in the Gulf off the coast of New Orleans are disappearing,” one energy expert told the Reporter. The cause of the sinking is what is at issue.

• Trial lawyers are relying heavily on what legal experts called a “triple bank shot theory of land loss liability,” blaming energy companies for dredging canals in coastal Louisiana during the 1940s and 1950s.

• Another issue facing the trial lawyers’ case, a legal analyst noted, was that Louisiana itself “signed off on the oil production activity at the center of this case.”

While Louisiana is one of America’s most Republican states, energy experts are warning the Washington Reporter that a new lawsuit could destroy President Donald Trump’s energy agenda.

If trial lawyers in the state are successful in a suit faulting oil companies for coastal land loss in the state, it could drive energy companies away from investing in oil production and needed infrastructure upgrades if they fear those projects will get them sued.

This runs directly afoul of Trump’s pro-American energy independence campaign pledges, which are so popular that Speaker Mike Johnson (R., La.) jokingly told the Reporter in an interview that he has them tattooed on his arm.

Ocean waters have eroded about 2,000 square miles of Louisiana land since the 1930s. “There’s little doubt those islands in the Gulf off the coast of New Orleans are disappearing,” one energy expert told the Reporter. The cause of the sinking is what is at issue.

Trial lawyers are relying heavily on what legal experts called a “triple bank shot theory of land loss liability,” blaming energy companies for dredging canals in coastal Louisiana during the 1940s and 1950s.

That, the energy expert said, doesn’t hold water.

“All those islands are disappearing because after Katrina the Army Corp built so many levees and dykes to never have another Katrina that now no silt deposits run the Mississippi. Want proof? Neighboring Alabama and Texas are not sinking. Just Louisiana? There must be a hill of water somewhere.”

EXCLUSIVE: Why Donald Trump and his top Cabinet officials met with Conor McGregor

by Matthew Foldi

President Donald Trump and top figures in his White House rolled out the red carpet for Ireland’s Conor McGregor during St. Patrick’s Day, several sources in the rooms exclusively told the Washington Reporter.

“Conor joined President Trump and top leaders in his administration to celebrate the shared ties between America and Ireland for St. Patrick’s Day,” a source familiar with his trip told the Reporter. “Conor has been vocal about the need for Ireland to have stronger border controls and policies that prioritize the safety and well-being of Irish citizens.”

Days before his visit, Trump singled McGregor out for praise as one of his favorite Irish people.

During his White House visit, McGregor warned while on the podium with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt that “Ireland is on the cusp of losing its Irishness” and that an “illegal immigration racket” was “running ravage on the country.”

His remarks came following questions from the assembled press and they caused liberal politicians in his homeland to claim that they “are outrageous and do not reflect the positive diversity of modern Ireland.”

In addition to McGregor’s meeting with Trump, McGregor also met with Elon Musk, Leavitt, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Attorney General Pam Bondi Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, Presidential Personnel Director Sergio Gor, FBI Director Kash Patel, Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino, and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.

“During his visit to the White House for St. Patrick’s Day, Conor emphasized the importance of national identity, the rule of law, and the responsibility of governments to protect their citizens,” a source told the Reporter. “He expressed frustration over Irish policies that have allowed criminal elements to exploit Ireland’s immigration system, leading to increased crime and social unrest.”

While McGregor was meeting with Trump officials, news broke that Musk’s SpaceX had successfully rescued the astronauts who had been stranded in space. “They were saving astronauts caught in Space here,” McGregor said of the Trump administration’s work, which he called “wildly impressive.”

SCOOP: Inside Tulsi Gabbard's multi-nation trip to "advance President Trump's America First policies across the Indo-Pacific"

by Matthew Foldi

Tulsi Gabbard, America’s new Director of National Intelligence (DNI), was busy in recent days, embarking on her first multinational trip as DNI.

During her trip, which included stops in Hawaii, Japan, Thailand, India, and France, Gabbard spoke with the Washington Reporter at the prestigious Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi about what she is telling world leaders.

An Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) spokesperson told the Reporter that the rest of Gabbard’s trip was in line with her goals from the India stint.

“Having been born and raised in the Indo-Pacific region, DNI Gabbard brought a nuanced understanding of the area’s crucial partnerships and complex challenges as she explored opportunities to advance President [Donald] Trump’s America First policies across the Indo-Pacific,” the spokesperson said.

According to the spokesperson, Gabbard — who represented Hawaii for years in Congress — returned home and met with U.S. Indo-Pacific Commander Admiral Samuel Paparo, NSA-Hawaii senior leaders and intelligence officers, and Naval Special Warfare sailors who “briefed her on challenges faced in the region and existing U.S. capabilities to meet them.”

Paparo, like Gabbard, addressed the Raisina Dialogue. While there, he complemented her message, saying that the interests of India and the United States are “coming together.”

Gabbard also stopped by the NSA’s Hawaii outpost where she “reiterated the importance of accurate and timely intelligence that protects Americans’ Fourth Amendment rights,” the spokesperson added.

During Gabbard’s visit to Japan and Thailand, she met with the countries’ top intelligence officials and diplomats to “strengthen existing partnerships and intelligence collaboration between our nations,” according to her spokesperson.

Why the Biden Pill Penalty has been a disaster for Americans

by the Washington Reporter

THE LOWDOWN:

• A misguided policy enacted by former President Joe Biden has led to a 70 percent decline in investment in small-molecule drugs in the United States, raising concerns about the future of American innovation, patient access to medicines, and U.S. competitiveness.

• The Biden Pill Penalty is already having a devastating impact. A recent study revealed that funding for biologics is now 10 times greater than for small-molecule drugs.

• While U.S. pharmaceutical companies have been forced to reduce their investment in small-molecule drugs due to the Biden Pill Penalty, China is surging forward. Since 2021, the number of innovative drugs from Chinese companies has nearly doubled, rising from 2,251 to 4,391, and 76 percent of all new drugs in China are small molecule drugs — the very category the Biden Pill Penalty is discouraging in the U.S.

• In response, Republican leaders in the House and Senate are working to eliminate the Biden Pill Penalty. U.S. Senator Thom Tillis (R., N.C.) and Rep. Greg Murphy, M.D. (R., N.C.) have introduced legislation that would extend the same protections to small molecule drugs that biologics receive.

A misguided policy enacted by former President Joe Biden has led to a 70 percent decline in investment in small-molecule drugs in the United States, raising concerns about the future of American innovation, patient access to medicines, and U.S. competitiveness.

The sharp decline in investments since 2021 has been fueled by a provision in the so-called Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), widely known as the "Biden Pill Penalty." The policy subjects small–molecule drugs — typically pills, tablets, and capsules — to government price-setting four years earlier than biologics, typically, injectables and drugs administered intravenously (IV). The inevitable result has been fewer cures at higher costs.

"The Biden IRA has been a nightmare for American patients and is causing sky-rocketing out-of-pocket costs on Pill Penalty prescriptions," Joel White, president of the Council for Affordable Health Coverage, told the Washington Reporter.

"Joe Biden and Democrats in Congress have forced the drug companies to move away from developing the kinds of drugs patients prefer — because they're easier to take, more affordable, and more widely available — and these companies are now being pushed toward developing more injectables and IV treatments instead,” White continued.

“These more expensive products are delivered in more expensive settings, raising costs for taxpayers and patients," he added.

The Biden Pill Penalty is already having a devastating impact. A recent study revealed that funding for biologics is now 10 times greater than for small-molecule drugs. This is a dramatic reversal of historical trends.

According to projections by researchers at the University of Chicago, the shift could result in the loss of 79 new drugs and 116 million years of life expectancy over the next two decades. For millions of Americans with chronic conditions such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease, the consequences could be even more devastating.

"Small molecule drugs are the foundation of modern medicine," Sally Pipes, president and CEO of the Pacific Research Institute told the Reporter. "They allow patients to manage their conditions from home instead of having to visit a hospital for an IV infusion or injection.”

“When you penalize investment in these drugs, you don't just limit treatment options. You drive up costs throughout the entire U.S. healthcare system,” Pipes continued. “While a full repeal of drug price controls would be ideal, at the very least, we should ensure equal protection for both small-molecule and biologic drugs."

The shift in investment priorities could also have far-reaching economic implications. American workers who can no longer manage their conditions with convenient at-home treatments may be forced to take more sick days, retire early, or rely on costly hospital visits.

“If workers lose access to the medicines that help them stay healthy and on the job, we're looking at a much bigger economic impact than people realize,” Andrew Langer, the Director of the Coalition Against Socialized Medicine/CPAC told the Reporter. “This isn't just a healthcare issue. It's about protecting the livelihood and competitive advantage of the American workforce.”

While U.S. pharmaceutical companies have been forced to reduce their investment in small-molecule drugs due to the Biden Pill Penalty, China is surging forward. Since 2021, the number of innovative drugs from Chinese companies has nearly doubled, rising from 2,251 to 4,391, and 76 percent of all new drugs in China are small molecule drugs — the very category the Biden Pill Penalty is discouraging in the U.S.

"China is aggressively investing in small molecule innovation while the U.S. is pulling back," added Langer. "If this trend continues, and the Biden Pill Penalty isn't repealed this year, we could soon see China overtake the U.S. as the global leader in pharmaceutical drug development."

OPINIONATED

Op-Ed: Rep. Mike Haridopolos: How Elon Musk's SpaceX proves the power of the private sector in modern spaceflight

by Rep. Mike Haridopolos

On Tuesday, NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, along with Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin, splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule. This otherwise routine mission captured the attention of America — and indeed, the world — as it marked the conclusion of Suni and Butch’s unexpected nine-month stay aboard the International Space Station.

What might have once been seen as an extraordinary feat is now a testament to the remarkable progress of America’s private space industry, which has revolutionized our presence beyond Earth and placed us at the forefront of space exploration once again. The journey that led to this moment highlights why ongoing investment in the commercial space sector is essential. It is a sector that continues to fuel America’s economic growth, expand the frontiers of science, and strengthen our national security.

The events that led up to this return began last June, when Boeing launched the first crewed test flight of its Starliner capsule, a spacecraft designed to ferry astronauts to and from the International Space Station. But as the capsule approached the station, it encountered issues with its thrusters, leading NASA to determine that it was too risky for the astronauts to return aboard Starliner. Ultimately, the spacecraft returned to Earth empty two months later, leaving Suni and Butch in orbit without a clear date for their return.

That uncertainty came to an end last Friday when SpaceX’s Crew-10 mission successfully lifted off from Cape Canaveral, docked with the ISS, and allowed for the long-awaited return of the two astronauts. This moment reaffirmed what many of us have long known: public-private partnerships in space are the key to securing America’s dominance beyond our atmosphere.

Op-Ed: Rep. Max Miller: It’s time for NASA to escape the Swamp and come to Ohio

by Rep. Max Miller

This administration has made its priorities clear: decentralizing government, cutting unnecessary workforce costs, and reinvigorating in-person collaboration. Moving NASA’s HQ to Ohio checks every box. This transition would eliminate bureaucratic waste, enhance efficiency, and strengthen accountability while supporting a region that has proven itself as a leader in aerospace, space technology, and advanced manufacturing.

NASA has always been about pushing boundaries, pioneering new frontiers, and driving technological excellence. NASA’s current headquarters in Washington, D.C., is a relic of inefficiency — outdated, overpriced, and disconnected from the very industries that fuel its mission. With the agency already reassessing its office space and the federal government prioritizing decentralization, now is the time for NASA to make a bold, strategic move.

Relocations work. A fresh, reenergized workforce in Ohio would ensure that NASA remains at the forefront of innovation, unburdened by the inertia of outdated structures in Washington. Ohio is not just another option; it’s the most logical choice. Home to the NASA Glenn Research Center, Ohio offers everything NASA needs, from world-class research facilities to a deep talent pool and a dramatically lower cost of operation. Cleveland’s significantly lower cost of living would generate substantial taxpayer savings, ensuring that every dollar goes toward research, exploration, and cutting-edge technology. NASA’s headquarters isn’t even in a federal facility; it’s in a privately leased building. With the lease expiring in 2028, the agency has a rare and critical opportunity to break free from D.C.’s high costs and bureaucratic stagnation.

NASA has already scaled back its physical footprint in Washington, vacating multiple floors of its headquarters. Rather than renewing an unnecessary and expensive lease, NASA should seize this moment to relocate to a more cost-effective, innovation-driven hub that actually supports its mission.

Ohio isn’t just a practical choice; it’s a strategic imperative. The NASA Glenn Research Center and its Armstrong Test Facility are already leading the charge in next-generation aeronautics and spaceflight technology. Moving NASA HQ here would create an unrivaled research and development powerhouse, driving breakthroughs that will define the future of space exploration.

The Buckeye State has been at the heart of America’s aerospace legacy, from the Wright brothers’ first flight to Neil Armstrong’s giant leap for mankind to the namesake of the NASA Glenn Research Center, Senator and Astronaut John Glenn, and twenty-five other astronauts.

NASA isn’t just a leader in space, it’s the world leader in aeronautics research, an area where NASA Glenn excels. From propulsion systems and aviation safety to revolutionary green aviation technology, Glenn’s expertise makes Ohio the ideal headquarters location. By relocating, NASA can consolidate its leadership with the researchers and engineers who are shaping the next era of air and space travel.