Trump Nominates Father of Convicted Jan. 6 Rioter to Lead U.S. Agency for Global Media
L. Brent Bozell III, a conservative media figure, previously defended his son, who was convicted for his role in the Capitol attack.
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced Wednesday his decision to nominate L. Brent Bozell III, the founder of the Media Research Center, to serve as CEO of the U.S. Agency for Global Media. Bozell’s selection has drawn scrutiny due to his past defense of his son, L. Brent Bozell IV, who was convicted and sentenced for his participation in the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Trump praised Bozell’s decades of experience in conservative media and advocacy, saying on Truth Social, “As Founder and President of the Media Research Center for 38 years, few understand the global media landscape in print, television, and online better than Brent. He and his family have fought for the American principles of Liberty, Freedom, Equality, and Justice for generations, and he will ensure that message is heard by freedom-loving people around the world.”
In a statement on X, formerly Twitter, Bozell expressed gratitude for the nomination. “There is lots of work to be done. I look forward to meeting with Senators ahead of my confirmation hearing to explore how best to ensure the priorities of the President are met,” he wrote.
Bozell’s son, L. Brent Bozell IV, was sentenced to 45 months in prison after being convicted of multiple charges, including assaulting law enforcement and destroying government property during the Capitol riot. Before Trump pardoned 1,500 defendants charged in connection with the attack earlier this week, Bozell III had written a letter defending his son, asking for leniency in his sentencing.
“I am not pleading my son’s innocence, only that his punishment match the crime,” Bozell III wrote at the time. “I am asking the Court to consider my son’s character that is sterling and is being defended by absolutely everyone around him.”
Prosecutors accused Bozell’s son of taking part in multiple breaches of the Capitol, including smashing windows during the initial entry and later making his way onto the Senate floor.
Bozell III has been a key figure in conservative media for decades. He founded the Media Research Center, a conservative media watchdog group, in 1987, as well as the Parents Television and Media Council. The Media Research Center later launched CNSNews.
Trump’s appointment of Bozell echoes his previous selection of Michael Pack, a conservative filmmaker and former associate of GOP strategist Steve Bannon, to lead the agency during his first term. Pack’s tenure was marked by controversy, with critics accusing him of turning the agency into a partisan propaganda tool.
If confirmed, Bozell would oversee the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which manages government-funded international broadcasting networks, including Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.