ABC is suing the Trump administration’s Federal Communications Commission over possible blockage of the network’s broadcast station licenses.
The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in a district court in Washington, argues that the FCC’s actions come at the behest of President Trump’s disdain for ABC’s coverage.
“Acting through the Federal Communications Commission, the Administration has waged a retaliatory campaign against ABC for a single reason: it disapproves of what ABC broadcasts,” the suit reads.
The FCC’s April review of eight ABC local broadcast station licenses years before they expire — the first early-renewal order of its kind in decades — could lead to the revocation of ABC’s Walt Disney Co.-held broadcast licenses.
The early review comes amid tension between the administration and ABC’s late-night programming.
Last September, Disney suspended “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” for a week after the late-night host belittled conservatives for grieving the killing of Charlie Kirk. The remarks drew public condemnation, plus pressure from FCC Chairman Brendan Carr.
Mr. Trump has repeatedly called for Mr. Kimmel to be fired.
The early-review order also came after a separate Mr. Kimmel joke, this one about first lady Melania Trump.
Then there was a probe into ABC’s popular daytime talk show, “The View,” which Mr. Trump has criticized for bias against him. The FCC is determining whether the show must give comparable airtime to rival politicians when setting up interviews.
Most recently, Mr. Trump called for ABC and NBC to lose their broadcasting licenses for not airing the president’s July Oval Office address about election security.
“I think any time a broadcaster is not operating in the public interest, that raises significant concerns,” Mr. Carr said at the time.
He has continued to defend the agency’s actions, tying the review to an investigation into diversity, equity and inclusion practices at Disney.
More than 200 stations carry ABC affiliation nationwide, but the review targets only the eight that Disney directly owns.
In response to the lawsuit, the FCC said that “all broadcasters have a legal obligation to operate in the public interest.
“The FCC has been examining claims that Disney engaged in illegal DEI discrimination for over a year. Disney is obviously very concerned about the FCC’s proceeding, as evidenced by their ongoing campaign of disinformation as well as their decision to ask a court to stop the FCC from further pursuing matters,” an agency spokesperson said in a statement to The Washington Times. “The FCC will continue to follow the facts and law wherever they lead.”
The company alleges First Amendment rights violations are coming from the FCC in an attempt to stifle the network’s freedom of speech, calling for the agency to pause its early broadcast renewal proceedings.
The lawsuit cites the president’s social media posts and public comments threatening executive agency action against ABC, specifically Mr. Trump’s December Truth Social post complaining that late-night TV hosts “are almost 100% Negative to President Donald J. Trump,” floating whether broadcast licenses should be “terminated.”
In requesting a “speedy hearing” from the court, the network asked for a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction.
