Law & Justice
ABC sues FCC over broadcast license threat
Disney-owned ABC sued the Federal Communications Commission in federal court in Washington on August 18, accusing the US regulator of carrying out a retaliatory campaign against the television network on behalf of the Trump administration.
The lawsuit follows an FCC request earlier this year for ABC TV stations to renew their broadcast licenses earlier than scheduled. The suit says the administration, acting through the FCC, targeted ABC because it disapproved of what the network broadcasts and that the pressure escalated into demands that ABC be stripped of licenses because of its speech.
Disney and ABC said the administration had increased pressure on ABC, culminating in what they described as a threat to the broadcast licenses of eight ABC Owned Stations. The companies asked the court to issue a restraining order preventing the FCC from taking any action against the network's broadcasting licenses, which they said were not up for renewal until 2028.
Anna Gomez, the sole FCC commissioner appointed by a Democratic president, welcomed the lawsuit as pushback against what she called “government intimidation.” Gomez said the FCC had used the threat of broadcast license revocations to punish Disney's ABC stations for speech the administration does not like.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticised ABC, particularly late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, and has suggested revoking the broadcast licenses of stations he claims are “almost 100% negative” toward him.
Trump has filed defamation lawsuits against media outlets, including a case against ABC over statements about a civil judgment in a sexual assault case and a case against CBS over claims it misled viewers by airing different clips of the same answer from an interview with 2024 Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris. The ABC and CBS cases ended in December 2024 and July 2025 with the broadcasters promising to pay $15 million and $16 million, respectively.
Other ongoing cases include a $10 billion lawsuit against the BBC over an allegedly misleading edit of one of Trump's speeches and a case against The Wall Street Journal over a birthday letter he allegedly sent to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Update
Anna Gomez, the sole FCC commissioner appointed by a Democratic president, welcomed the lawsuit as pushback against what she called government intimidation.
Gomez accused the FCC of using threats to ABC station broadcast licenses to punish speech the administration dislikes.
Source note: AFP news report published on 18 August 2026 at 16:59:48 UTC.
Update
Disney and ABC asked the court for a restraining order preventing FCC action against the network's broadcast licenses.
The licenses were not up for renewal until 2028.
The lawsuit says the FCC threat concerns eight ABC Owned Stations.
The item adds context on Trump lawsuits involving ABC, CBS, the BBC and The Wall Street Journal.
Source note: AFP news report published on 18 August 2026 at 14:58:57 UTC.
Update
ABC's lawsuit says the present threat concerns the broadcasting licenses of eight ABC Owned Stations.
The FCC earlier this year asked Disney-owned TV stations to renew their broadcast licenses earlier than scheduled.
ABC alleges the timing of the early review shows the FCC's purpose is to coerce and retaliate against the network.
President Donald Trump has criticised ABC and late-night host Jimmy Kimmel and suggested removing broadcast licenses.
Source note: AFP news report published on 18 August 2026 at 14:07:40 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
The court has not been reported in the supplied material as having ruled on the requested restraining order.
The FCC's response to the lawsuit is not included in the supplied material.
Source
AFP news report published on .