President Donald Trump has nominated Olivia Trusty to serve on the Federal Communications Commission. Trusty has tremendous experience and is widely known among Washington, DC, communications policymakers. She has served as the Policy Director on the Senate Commerce Committee since 2019. She also served as a legislative assistant in the office of Senator Wicker and the Subcommittee on Communications Technology Innovation and the Internet. Trusty was a professional staff member on the House Subcommittee on Digital Commerce and Consumer. She was a Legislative Assistant to Rep. Bob Latta. Trusty also has private sector experience at Verizon and Quest. She has a BA from the University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill) and an MA from Georgetown University.
Trusty’s quick nomination means that the current FCC deadlock of a 2 Republican and two Democratic commission will soon be broken. Her appointment will give Brendan Carr, who has been nominated to become Chairman of the FCC, the necessary three votes to move forward with his deregulatory agenda.
Regarding her nomination, NAB’s President Curtis LeGeyt stated:
“NAB congratulates Olivia Trusty on her well-deserved nomination.
As a senior staffer on the Armed Services and Commerce committees in both the Senate and House, Olivia has been heavily involved in every legislative debate impacting the broadcast industry for the past decade. In that capacity we have seen firsthand a work ethic, issue expertise and strategic acumen that will greatly benefit the FCC.
Further, she is intimately familiar with the vital role local television and radio stations play in communities nationwide and the significant regulatory obstacles our industry faces. Her deep understanding of these issues will be instrumental in fostering policies that enable broadcasters to innovate and better serve our communities.”
We agree. In our opinion, Olivia Trusty has all the necessary qualifications to become an outstanding FCC Commissioner. We strongly support her appointment.