• by Wendy Davis , June 4, 2025

Federal Communications Commissioner Nathan Simington, a Republican nominated by President Donald Trump at the end of his first term, has unexpectedly announced that he will leave the agency at the end of the week.

Simington didn't give a reason for his abrupt departure. He said in a brief statement issued Wednesday that he remains “committed to advancing the cause of limited government, free speech, and American innovation.”

Commissioner Geoffrey Starks, a Democrat who was chosen by Trump in 2018, also announced Wednesday that his last day at the agency will be June 6. Starks said several months ago that he planned to exit, but hadn't previously set a date.

The exits will leave the FCC with just two sitting commissioners -- Brendan Carr, nominated by Trump, and Anna Gomez, nominated by former President Joe Biden. Earlier this year, Trump nominated Senate staffer Olivia Trusty to serve on the agency, but she has yet to be confirmed by the Senate.

Advocacy group Public Knowledge on Wednesday urged Trump to quickly nominate two commissioners -- a Democrat and a Republican -- to fill the vacancies.

“Simington’s sudden departure effectively leaves the agency without a bipartisan quorum, which stalls its ability to move forward with any meaningful actions -- a move that will likely result in painful consequences throughout the communications ecosystem for consumers,” Alisa Valentin, broadband policy director at the organization, stated.