Key facts
- Disney is suing the Trump administration over alleged censorship.
- Disney seeks an injunction to prevent the FCC from revoking ABC's broadcast licenses.
- The company claims the FCC is acting on President Trump's directives to curb critical speech.
- The FCC ordered early license renewal applications for eight ABC-owned stations.
- The FCC is expected to take action on the license renewals soon.
The Walt Disney Company has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, seeking an injunction to prevent the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from prematurely reviewing the broadcast licenses of its eight ABC-owned regional stations. Disney alleges that FCC Chair Brendan Carr is acting on President Donald Trump's directives to retaliate against ABC for its critical reporting and programming.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, contends that the administration has waged a "retaliatory campaign" against ABC due to its disapproval of the network's broadcasts. Disney points to a social media post by Trump in December 2025, where he suggested that broadcast licenses should be terminated if network newscasts and late-night hosts are "almost 100% negative to President Donald J. Trump, MAGA and the Republican Party."
The company also highlighted the temporary suspension of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" last September, following the host's comments about the assassination of Charlie Kirk. FCC Chair Brendan Carr had criticized Kimmel's remarks and issued an ultimatum to ABC. In the same week, the FCC ordered eight ABC-owned stations to file early renewal applications for their licenses, a move described by Disney as unprecedented and designed to retaliate against the network.
These stations, located in markets including New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, had their licenses set to expire between December 2028 and August 2031. Disney argues that the FCC's current review process is a "charade" and that the commission cannot lawfully grant renewals at this stage, with potential outcomes including denial or immediate revocation of licenses.