The controversial Nexstar Media-Tegna merger has sparked an unusual clash that could reach the halls of the White House — pitting a top media executive close to President Trump against the hard-charging FCC chairman Brendan Carr, The Post has learned.

The $6.2 billion mega-deal — which would create a local-TV giant with 265 stations across 44 states — got an uncomfortable spotlight last month after Carr threatened action against ABC over Jimmy Kimmel’s inflammatory comments about the killing of Charlie Kirk.

Nexstar, which already owns dozens of local ABC TV affiliates, temporarily pulled Kimmel off its airwaves — prompting accusations that it was sucking up to Carr to gain the FCC’s approval for the merger. 6

The deal’s key hurdle is an FCC rule barring any single entity from

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