Poll Reveals Strong Opposition to FCC Punishing Trump Critics

A recent YouGov poll conducted in late September 2025 shows overwhelming public opposition to using the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to penalize critics of President Donald Trump, with 74% of Americans opposing the idea, compared to just 12% in support. 

Notably, opposition is strong even among Trump’s base, with 62% of Trump voters and 61% of Republicans rejecting the policy, against 26% and 22% supporting it, respectively.

According to Mediaite, this comes amid a series of moves perceived as threats to free speech. Following the assassination of activist Charlie Kirk, Trump’s Attorney General Pam Bondi faced backlash for targeting “hate speech,” including mockery of the incident. 

Trump himself escalated tensions by suggesting criticism of him could be “illegal” and proposing to revoke FCC licenses of critical media outlets. Additionally, late-night host Jimmy Kimmel faced a brief suspension after pressure from Trump and FCC Chair Brendan Carr, though he was reinstated after a surge in Disney+ cancellations. 

Major broadcasters Sinclair and Nextstar initially refused to air Kimmel’s show, citing Carr’s comments, but later reversed their decisions.

The poll asked respondents about 30 Trump policy proposals, with the idea of revoking broadcast licenses for networks critical of Trump ranking as the least popular. The second-least-popular policy—canceling airline compensation for delays—was opposed by 68% and supported by 18%. Only eight policies garnered net support, while 22 faced net opposition.