"I stand by our decision," Pai told a U.S. House panel.

Trump said in a tweet on Tuesday that it was "disgraceful" that the FCC "wouldn’t approve the Sinclair Broadcast merger with Tribune. This would have been a great and much needed Conservative voice for and of the People."

Pai said he did not make decisions based on ideology of applicants, but looked at the facts.

(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Marguerita Choy)