Expert reveals the Trump FCC crusader's airtime battles could backfire spectacularly

A media expert revealed on Wednesday that President Donald Trump's leader at the Federal Communications Commission may have created a situation that will backfire spectacularly.

Throughout the second Trump administration, FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr has sought to enforce the agency's equal time rule, which has gotten several left-leaning shows in hot water with the agency. The rule requires radio and television channels to provide equal airtime to political candidates of all views. Most recently, the lawyers at CBS News told late-night comedian Stephen Colbert that he could not interview Democratic Texas state lawmaker James Talarico because it might violate the equal time rule.

Carr has also said the FCC is investigating "The View," a show that often features Trump critics, to see if it has violated the equal time rule.

But these efforts could backfire spectacularly against the president's allies once he leaves office, CNN media correspondent Brian Stelter revealed during an interview on "The Source" with Kaitlan Collins on Wednesday.

"This is all really about power, using regulatory power to reshape the culture in ways that Republicans want," Stelter said. "And it's easy to see where they're coming from. Growing up, Johnny Carson and Jay Leno were relaxing shows to watch at the end of the day. But now late-night comics are much more provocative, much more political. And for the past decade, very staunchly anti-Trump. So this rule is a way for the Trump administration to try to even the playing field a little bit."

"But there's a cost here," he added. "Government intimidation comes at a cost, in the words of one famous TV host recently, 'We need less government regulation and more freedom. Let the American people decide where to get their information from without any government interference.' You want to know who said that, Kaitlan? A little guy named Sean Hannity."

"Why? He doesn't want to see these equal time rules applied to conservative talk radio," Stelter added. "So far, Carr is saying he's focused on TV, not radio. But technically, these rules apply to radio's broadcast airwaves as well. And you have to wonder if a Democratic president might want to use those rules against the radio in the future."