Trump picks father of convicted Jan. 6 rioter to serve as CEO of U.S. Agency for Global Media

President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he would pick Media Research Center founder L. Brent Bozell III — who wrote a letter on behalf of his son, a convicted Jan. 6 rioter — to run the U.S. Agency for Global Media.

"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," Trump said in an announcement on Truth Social. "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."

Bozell said in a statement on X Wednesday that he was "honored" to be Trump's pick to lead the agency. 

"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," Bozell said.

Bozell's son, L. Brent Bozell IV, was sentenced to 45 months in prison for assaulting law enforcement, destroying government property, and other charges related to his conduct on Jan. 6, 2021.

Before Trump this week pardoned 1,500 defendants who were charged in the Capitol attack, Bozell III defended his son in a letter last year against a terrorism enhancement put forward by prosecutors who had sought a sentence of more than 11 years.

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“I am not pleading my son’s innocence, only that his punishment match the crime. I am asking the Court to consider my son’s character that is sterling and is being defended by absolutely everyone around him,” Bozell III wrote.

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Prosecutors had accused Bozell's son of multiple efforts to breach the Capitol, including smashing windows during the initial breach of the building. Prosecutors also said that Bozell made his way onto the Senate floor.

Bozell III founded the Media Research Center, a conservative watchdog group, in 1987, as well as the Parents Television and Media Council. The Media Research Center later founded CNSNews.

During his first term, Trump appointed the conservative filmmaker Michael Pack, a former associate of GOP strategist Steve Bannon, to lead the agency. During his tenure, Pack was accused of attempting to shape the agency into a mouthpiece for propaganda to promote Trump’s agenda.