ABC and its parent company Disney filed a lawsuit on Monday against the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) alleging that the Trump administration weaponized the agency to punish the network for its news reporting, talk shows, and late-night programs.
The plaintiffs argue that the administration’s actions violate the First Amendment right to freedom of speech and the press.
The complaint claims the FCC ordered eight TV stations ABC owns to apply for renewal of their licenses years earlier than would normally be required and gave them only 30 days to prepare the paperwork. It typically takes months to prepare this type of filing.
Part of the lawsuit centers on President Donald Trump’s public attacks against the network. It cites comments he made arguing that ABC should lose its license and criticizing how it moderated the 2024 presidential debate. The president also attacked late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, an avid critic of the Trump administration.
The lawsuit states:
Again and again, the Administration has attacked ABC’s speech—the stories its journalists report and the viewpoints its network programs air. Over time, those attacks have escalated into express demands that ABC be stripped of its broadcast licenses because of its speech.
ABC sues the FCC for violating its First Amendment rights; other license holders Brendan Carr has bullied should do the same.
— Freedom of the Press Foundation (@FreedomofPress) August 18, 2026
That's because the censorship is about to get worse: Trump nominated Carr's own lawyer to fill the FCC's fourth commission seat.@trevortimm explains: pic.twitter.com/vjTuxHW49H
ABC refers to comments made by FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, who appeared to threaten the network after Kimmel slammed a conservative activist. He said networks could handle these issues “the easy way or the hard way” and warned that if ABC did not do something about the talk show host, there would be “additional work for the FCC.”
Some ABC stations briefly pulled Kimmel’s show from the air after Carr’s comments.
The View’s hosts interview a Democrat Senate candidate in February, prompting the FCC to ponder whether the show should get an exemption from equal-time rules for political candidates. The agency demanded internal emails, booking notes, and even information about the hosts’ and staff’s political donations.
Disney is taking the federal government to court.
— Straight Arrow (@StraightArrow__) August 18, 2026
The lawsuit traces back to one day after the President urged ABC to fire Jimmy Kimmel, when the FCC ordered its first early license review in 50 years.
The FCC says the early review was due to an investigation into Disney's DEI… pic.twitter.com/xfud7pDWOZ
ABC claims the pressure from Trump’s FCC has affected the network’s programming. No political candidate has appeared on The View since the February debacle. Now producers must weigh decisions in light of the possibility that the FCC might target the network.
The complaint argues that the threat of a formal hearing causes ongoing harm to the network, especially if the FCC revokes its license.
The plaintiffs are asking the court for a temporary order and a preliminary injunction to prohibit the agency from requiring early renewals and to block further threats aimed at compelling the network to alter its programming.
