Disney Escalates Fight With Trump Administration, Asks Judge to Block FCC’s Unusual Early Review of 8 ABC Licenses

Walt Disney Co. (NYSE:DIS) is asking a U.S. judge to halt an early Federal Communications Commission review of eight ABC station licenses, arguing the process is being used to pressure the network over coverage critical of President Donald Trump.

Disney Challenges FCC Review

Disney and ABC said in a court filing that FCC Chair Brendan Carr has been carrying out directives from Trump that target speech critical of the administration, Reuters reported.

The companies argue the FCC’s unusually early review amounts to retaliation for disfavored news and entertainment programming.

Disney, ABC and the FCC did not immediately respond to Benzinga’s request for comment.

The FCC ordered the reviews in April, even though the stations’ licenses were not scheduled for renewal until October 2028. The agency had not ordered such an early review in more than 50 years.

The move came shortly after Trump called for ABC to fire late-night host Jimmy Kimmel.

Trump, FCC Face Free Speech Fight

Disney also cited Trump’s criticism of journalists, including NBC’s Kristen Welker and an ABC White House reporter. Trump has also called for broadcasters to face consequences over programming and coverage he opposes.

ABC has more than 200 affiliated stations across the U.S., but Disney directly owns eight of them, all of which are now under the FCC’s scrutiny.

Last year, Trump criticized negative media coverage, arguing that when 97% of stories about someone are unfavorable, it is "no longer free speech" but "cheating."

Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) had called the Trump administration’s actions "blatant attacks" on the free press. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) similarly criticized threats against ABC’s licenses.

Price Action: Walt Disney Co. shares closed at $102.67 on Friday, down 2.54%. In after-hours trading, the stock was at $102.70, up 0.03%, according to Benzinga Pro.

According to Benzinga Edge Rankings, Disney ranks in the 61st percentile for Value, with positive short-, medium- and long-term price trends.

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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