The Trump administration is reportedly taking systematic steps to target Disney and its ABC network through extensive regulatory actions, according to the sole Democratic member of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez expressed her concerns in a letter to Disney’s CEO, Josh D’Amaro, stating, “What Disney and ABC are facing is… a coordinated effort of censorship and control. It’s an attempt to utilize the FCC’s federal authority to pressure a free and independent press into submission.”
Recently, Republican FCC Chairman Brendan Kerr initiated an early review of broadcast licenses for eight Disney-owned ABC stations. It’s notable that the FCC hasn’t canceled a broadcast license in over four decades.
This review wasn’t supposed to happen until 2028, but it was expedited following a joke made by Jimmy Kimmel on his late-night show, which sparked complaints from the White House for his termination.
Additionally, Carr is examining “The View,” ABC’s daytime talk show, as it claimed to be subject to federal equal time rules for political candidates.
Earlier this year, the FCC began looking into whether “The View” breached equal time regulations after an interview with Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico. The commission clarified that television talk shows are no longer classified as “real” news programs and thus are not exempt from these rules.
In a past event, President Trump urged the FCC in November to revoke ABC’s license after expressing dissatisfaction with a question posed by an ABC News correspondent regarding the Saudi crown prince and a high-profile murder case.
In December 2024, ABC News entered into a settlement, agreeing to contribute $15 million to the Trump Presidential Library over remarks made on-air by anchor George Stephanopoulos related to a lawsuit involving Trump.
Gomez pointed out that the settlement “did not bring peace, only temporary relief.” She emphasized, “Disney’s experiences demonstrate that you can’t truly earn this administration’s favor; it’s more about renting goodwill at continually rising costs.”
Neither Disney nor Kerr have commented on the situation.
