There was a bill in 2023 and 2024 and they went nowhere. It was reintroduced at the start of 2025, and again attracted overwhelming bipartisan support from Members of Congress. Yet, the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act has stalled in both the House of Representatives and U.S. Senate.
The Commander-in-Chief has made it clear he wants forward movement on the proposal.
President Trump on Thursday reaffirmed his support for the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act, sharing during an interview with Salem Media Group syndicated host Hugh Hewitt that the proposed legislation is “a very big subject.” The president added that his administration “will be doing something on that.”
During the interview, Hewitt suggested pairing the legislation, which mandates AM radio access in all new vehicles, with other bipartisan measures as part of a broader legislative package. Hewitt noted that both the AM Act and the Dreamers Act have supermajority backing in Congress and could help advance the administration’s agenda. The latter legislation offers a path to legal residency for undocumented immigrants brought to the country as children if they meet specific criteria.
President Trump agreed that the AM measure carries great significance, describing it as “a very popular thing,” though he said health care reform remains his top legislative priority. “I like the AM radio in every car. I like that. I’m in favor of it,” Trump said. “It’s interesting. A lot of people don’t know about that, but it’s actually a very big subject. Oh, it’s a huge deal. We’re going to be doing something on that.”
The legislation, which passed out of the Senate Commerce Committee in July 2025, would require automakers to maintain free AM radio access in all new vehicles, including electric models that have increasingly phased it out. The measure has drawn support from 316 House members, 61 senators, and a broad coalition of organizations, including emergency management agencies, unions, governors, and broadcasters.
Despite overwhelming support, final passage has been delayed by procedural hurdles and the 2025 government shutdown. House leaders are reportedly planning a floor vote soon, while Senate supporters are weighing whether to bring it to the floor or attach it to larger legislation.
During his 2024 campaign, President Trump publicly pledged his support for protecting AM radio in vehicles, telling attendees at the National Religious Broadcasters Convention in Nashville that he would act “at the request of the NRB” to safeguard the medium. The President linked his commitment to broader efforts to defend “pro-God content,” saying Christian broadcasting was “under siege.”
The interview with Hewitt is also telling, as Salem Media Group maintains a sizable stable of AM radio stations. Should access to kHz-band stations be lost in the vehicle, even more business struggles could arise at a company that has experienced financial strain over the last several years. Since the start of 2021, Salem stock has shed two-thirds of its value and completed Thursday’s trading on the Over-the-Counter markets at $0.43.
Salem stock hasn’t been above $1 since June 5, 2025.
— Reporting by Cameron Coats, in Troy, N.Y., and Adam R Jacobson, in Miami