Disney Sues FCC Over 'Retaliatory' Broadcast License Review

The Walt Disney Company has sued the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), alleging that the agency's decision to review ABC's broadcast television licenses earlier than usual is an attack on free speech by the Trump administration.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, claims that the FCC's action is a retaliatory campaign against ABC for its content, including Jimmy Kimmel's late-night talk show and a joke about First Lady Melania Trump.

The move by the FCC came after President Donald Trump assailed Kimmel on social media, asking if broadcast licenses should be terminated. The lawsuit cites Trump's posts, including one in which he complained that late-night TV hosts are 'almost 100% Negative to President Donald J. Trump.'

Disney owns and operates eight ABC television stations in key markets such as Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco, with licenses not due for renewal until 2028 at the earliest.