FCC Commissioner Nathan Simington Set to Step Down, Potential Replacement Revealed
Federal Communications Commissioner Nathan Simington is expected to leave the agency by the end of the week, with his 31-year-old chief of staff, Gavin Wax, being considered as a likely replacement. According to an internal memo obtained by Fox News Digital, Wax, a New York native and outspoken political ally of former President Donald Trump, is being floated as a likely candidate. If confirmed, Wax would become the youngest commissioner in U.S. history and the youngest presidential nominee ever confirmed by the Senate.
The White House is exploring Wax’s appointment to fill the vacancy left by Simington’s departure. A source close to the FCC told Fox News Digital that Wax is viewed as a strong conservative voice on tech and media policy, with close ties to key figures in both the policy and political arenas. Wax’s connection to the Trump administration extends beyond his role at the FCC, as he previously served as President of the New York Young Republican Club, which has hosted annual holiday galas attended by Trump in person and virtually in the past.
Wax has also published an op-ed recently that praised Vice President JD Vance and hinted at Vance’s potential presidential aspirations after Trump’s term ends. The appointment of Wax would require a Senate confirmation process initiated by a Trump nomination. At the moment, Simington’s term expired last year, but he was set to stay until the end of 2025. With Simington’s departure, Wax would fill the GOP commissioner seat, bringing the number of Republican commissioners to three, the maximum allowed by the agency’s rules.
The FCC, responsible for regulating and overseeing all media, television, broadcast, and radio in the country, as well as internet access and broadband, national emergency communications, spectrum management, and consumer protection, is a critical agency with a significant impact on American communications. The agency was established under the Communications Act of 1934. Fox News Digital has reached out to both Simington and the White House for comment but has not yet received responses.