Disney Sues FCC Over Review of ABC Licenses Amid Trump-Era Tensions

The Walt Disney Company has filed a lawsuit against the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in an effort to halt the review of ABC's regional television licenses.

The FCC launched the review in April 2026, citing possible racial and gender discrimination in hiring, setting salaries, and promotions due to ABC's diversity, equity, and inclusion policy. If the allegations are confirmed, it could lead to the revocation of the licenses for ABC stations in major US cities such as New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Houston.

Disney claims that the FCC's actions are a pretext for exerting political pressure on ABC, pointing to repeated threats from former President Donald Trump to strip the network of its licenses. Trump had previously criticized ABC over journalist Mary Bruce's questions about his family's business in Saudi Arabia and demanded that the network remove comedian Jimmy Kimmel's show from the air.

The company argues that the FCC's reviews violate the First Amendment, which guarantees freedom of speech. Disney is seeking a court declaration that the reviews are unlawful and a temporary prohibition on the FCC making any decisions concerning ABC's licenses until the case is resolved.