Disney Sues President Donald Trump’s FCC Over Retaliatory Campaign Against ABC

President Donald Trump's Federal Communications Commission is facing a federal lawsuit alleging that it has violated Disney's First Amendment rights.

According to court documents obtained by CNN and Reuters on Tuesday, August 18, Disney claimed the Trump administration "has waged a retaliatory campaign against ABC for a single reason: It disapproves of what ABC broadcasts." The suit also states that the FCC is seeking to coerce and retaliate against "a network that ​refuses to bow to the administration’s demands," calling the agency’s actions an "extraordinary assault on free speech."

The conflict centers on Disney's claim that the FCC is trying to restrict ABC's broadcast content, including its talk show The View. Disney-owned ABC fired back over the FCC's attempts at intervention in May with a formal petition. "Some may dislike certain — or even most — of the viewpoints expressed on The View or similar shows," ABC shared in its petition. "Such dislike, however, cannot justify using regulatory processes to restrict those views."

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr defends the agency's actions, stating that broadcasters have a duty to "operate in the public interest" and the FCC is merely trying to restore that standard. He claims that the country should have "trusted, respected news media, and we’re not there."

In September 2025, following pressure from the Trump administration over host Jimmy Kimmel‘s on-air commentary about the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, Disney suspended production of Jimmy Kimmel Live! Days later, Kimmel returned to his show and slammed Carr as "embarrassing."

The lawsuit is seeking to stop an early TV station license renewal process, which Disney claims is an attack on free speech. The outcome of the case remains uncertain, but one thing is clear: both parties firmly believe they are acting within their bounds.