The Walt Disney Co. (NYSE:DIS) has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, alleging a retaliatory campaign against its ABC television stations that infringes on its First Amendment rights.
The lawsuit was filed in the DC District Court on Tuesday. The Mouse House contends that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), under the Trump administration, is investigating ABC’s talk show “The View” and challenging ABC’s station licenses as a form of retaliation for disapproving of its broadcasts, reported CNN.
The administration "has waged a retaliatory campaign against ABC for a single reason: it disapproves of what ABC broadcasts," the lawsuit filed in DC District Court alleges.
The lawsuit seeks a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction to halt the FCC’s license challenge. The legal action by Disney describes the FCC’s actions as an “extraordinary assault on free speech.”
Disney alleges that it has been compelled to modify its programming due to the FCC’s pressure. The company states that “The View” has become more cautious in booking political candidates and has stopped considering several potential candidate bookings. The lawsuit also states that ABC has refrained from airing certain video clips due to fear of further FCC scrutiny.
FCC did not immediately respond to Benzinga’s request for comments.
FCC Scrutiny Puts ABC Licenses at Risk
The FCC’s investigation into “The View” began in February for the breach of equal time requirements, following an appearance by Democratic Texas Senate candidate James Talarico. Federal law generally requires broadcasters that give airtime to one political candidate to provide comparable opportunities to opposing candidates, unless an exemption applies.
The scrutiny intensified in April when the FCC ordered an early review of licenses for ABC stations amid a growing feud involving President Donald Trump, late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, and Disney.
Besides this, the FCC has been investigating allegations of illegal DEI-related discrimination at Disney for more than a year.
ABC has more than 200 affiliated stations nationwide, but Disney directly owns just eight, which are targeted by the FCC. FCC licenses are typically renewed every eight years and rarely revoked. Before this year, the agency had not sought an early renewal in decades.
Schiff, Sanders Defend Press Freedom
Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) accused the Trump administration of launching "blatant attacks" on the free press, saying its actions are pressuring journalists and media companies to self-censor. He backed ABC and Disney’s legal fight, arguing, “the harms to the First Amendment are already taking place.”
Previously, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) criticized the Trump administration’s threats against ABC’s broadcast licenses, warning that targeting media outlets for criticism would threaten democratic values and press freedom.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Image credit: Britt Kennerly / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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