ABC accuses FCC of retaliation and attempted censorship over broadcast license review

Jul 30, 2026

ABC is accusing the Trump administration and its FCC of retaliation and censorship. The network alleges in a legal filing that an unprecedented early review of its eight broadcast licenses is punishment for news coverage President Trump dislikes. The review, the first of its kind in 50 years, follows Trump's public calls to revoke ABC's licenses and fire host Jimmy Kimmel. ABC warns this is an attack on the First Amendment aimed at all media.

ABC retaliation allegations

▪ABC accused the Trump administration and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) of retaliation and "attempted censorship" in a regulatory filing.
▪ABC's filing alleges the FCC's actions are intended to punish the network for its speech and chill future speech disliked by the administration.
▪ABC stated the retaliation serves as a warning to all media companies to conform to the administration's preferred news coverage or "pay the price."

FCC broadcast license review

▪In April, the FCC required ABC to file early broadcast license renewal applications for all eight of its television stations.
▪The FCC initially claimed the license review was related to ABC's diversity and inclusion hiring policies.
▪The FCC had not ordered renewal applications ahead of schedule in over 50 years and had never demanded simultaneous applications from a station group.

Trump administration pressure campaign

▪ABC's legal filing cites Trump's own social media posts and public remarks as evidence of a corrupt effort to censor the network.
▪Trump also demanded the firing of host Jimmy Kimmel and revoking licenses of networks that refused to air his July 16 speech.
▪President Donald Trump has repeatedly and publicly called for the revocation of ABC's broadcast licenses.

First Amendment concerns

▪Republican Senator Ted Cruz called FCC Chair Brendan Carr's threats against ABC "dangerous as hell."
▪ABC argues the administration's actions are a clear attack on the First Amendment and threaten the freedoms of all broadcasters.
▪ABC has received public support from viewers, advocacy groups, and politicians from both parties, including Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas).

FCC investigations timeline

▪The FCC's April license review announcement came one day after President Trump criticized a joke made by ABC host Jimmy Kimmel about Melania Trump.
▪After Trump's second inauguration, FCC Chair Brendan Carr initiated an investigation into ABC's DEI efforts for potential EEO violations.
▪In September, FCC Chair Brendan Carr issued an ultimatum demanding ABC "take action on Kimmel" or face "additional work for the FCC."
▪In February, the FCC launched an investigation into "The View," alleging an equal opportunities rule violation, reversing decades of precedent for talk shows.