The correct answer is D: The station licensee. According to FCC Part 97.103, the FCC presumes the station licensee is the control operator unless documentation in the station records indicates otherwise. This is the default assumption for accountability purposes. This presumption ensures that there's always someone clearly responsible for station operation. If the station records don't document who the actual control operator was, the FCC will assume it was the licensee. This encourages licensees to maintain proper station records documenting who was operating and when. If someone else was the control operator, that should be documented in the station records.