Carr Unveils FCC’s ‘Delete, Delete, Delete’ Initiative

WASHINGTON, March 12, 2025 – Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr on Wednesday announced the launch of “a massive, new deregulatory initiative” aimed at eliminating FCC rules deemed unnecessary or burdensome.

Specifically, the FCC has opened a new docket titled “In re: Delete, Delete, Delete,” in which the agency seeks public comment on which rules, regulations, or guidance documents should be eliminated in the name of streamlining regulatory processes.

 “The FCC is committed to ending all of the rules and regulations that are no longer necessary,” Carr said, in a post to X.

In particular, this new proceeding, “will assist the FCC in carrying out the policies that President Donald Trump included in certain Executive Orders,” Carr said, including his Executive Order on “Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation” and his Executive Order on “Implementing The President’s ‘Department Of Government Efficiency’ Deregulatory Initiative”.

While the announcement was light on specifics, Carr’s record suggests that the FCC’s broadcast ownership rules could be a prime target under the “Delete, Delete, Delete” initiative.

Carr has advocated for loosening media ownership rules since Ajit Pai was the first FCC chairman under Trump in 2017.

“The FCC needs to move very quickly right now to [ease regulations on broadcast media],” Carr said, in an interview with News Nation last week, adding that certain FCC regulations have left many local stations underinvested and struggling financially.

Another likely target is the relaxation of FCC copper retirement rules. Carr told reporters after the FCC’s  February meeting that he plans to look “very closely” at the state of legacy copper in carrier networks. 

Under current FCC rules, telecom companies must notify customers before shutting down copper networks and ensure a suitable replacement is in place. Major providers like AT&T have said the GOP-controlled FCC will probably speed up the process.

“Under President Trump’s leadership, the Administration is unleashing a new wave of economic opportunity by ending the regulatory onslaught from Washington,” Carr wrote. 

“We welcome the public’s participation and feedback throughout this process. The American people expect and deserve a government that will efficiently deliver great results. We are committed to doing exactly that at the FCC,” he concluded.