Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said Sunday that the federal government should take a role in regulating the internet, arguing it would make Americans less susceptible to what he called a “bulls— demagogue like Donald Trump.”
Murphy made the remarks on the “I’ve Had It” podcast while discussing his book “Crisis of the Common Good.” In it, he argues the country will remain “stuck” with leaders like Trump unless government does more to address loneliness and powerlessness among voters.
“Those are the two things I think Americans are going through right now,” Murphy said. “They don’t feel powerful at all, and they feel lonely. And so, government should build a set of rules in which people feel more powerful — that’s why the minimum wage is so important — and people feel so more connected. That’s why, you know, rebuilding healthy institutions in your town should be a project that government is involved in.”
Murphy pointed to internet regulation specifically as one policy lever.
“That’s why regulating the internet so that you’re spending less time alone on Instagram should be an important government project. And if people are feeling more powerful and less lonely, then they are going to be less likely to fall for a bulls— demagogue like Donald Trump.”
Murphy, who has frequently criticized Trump, said the underlying goal isn’t partisan. “What I say in the book is that if you really think about the things that make you more connected and make you more powerful, they’re not actually super partisan,” he said, adding that “unless you fix what’s broken with the culture, you’re going to be stuck with people like Trump for a long time.”
White House spokesperson Davis Ingle responded to the comments by telling Fox News Digital that Murphy is “a lightweight, anti-American disgrace who lies for a living.”
A Broader Fight Over Tech Regulation
Murphy’s comments arrive amid an ongoing, bipartisan debate over how far Washington should go in policing social media and emerging technology. Some lawmakers in both parties have called for scaling back Section 230, the law that shields platforms from liability for user content, particularly to protect children online.
But on artificial intelligence, some Republicans have voiced skepticism about congressional intervention. Rep. Jimmy Patronis, R-Fla., told Fox News Digital last week that while AI carries real risks, he doubts lawmakers are equipped to manage it.
“I think the warning is real, and I think that AI is unbelievable — look, AI is going to cure cancer. AI is going to find solutions to get rid of diseases that we never thought we could get rid of, but it does need to have some oversight. It needs a kill switch. But again, I don’t think Congress has the expertise to tell an emerging technology what’s the best way to go.”
