The Federal Communications Commission has ordered an early review of Disney’s ABC broadcast licenses, intensifying a politically charged fight involving media oversight, free speech concerns, and criticism of Donald Trump.
The agency’s decision targets eight Disney-owned ABC stations whose licenses were not scheduled to expire until at least 2028, making the accelerated review highly unusual. The move immediately raised questions about whether federal power is being used to pressure a major media company.
Critics quickly connected the action to backlash surrounding ABC late-night host Jimmy Kimmel. During a recent monologue, Kimmel joked that first lady Melania Trump had the glow of “an expectant widow,” referencing the age gap between her and Trump.
Days later, a gunman opened fire at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner. Following the incident, Melania Trump publicly demanded that Disney fire Kimmel. The host addressed the controversy Monday night, rejecting claims that the joke encouraged violence.
“It was not, by any stretch of the definition, a call to assassination,” Kimmel said. “And they know that. I’ve been very vocal for many years, speaking out against gun violence in particular.”
He later added, “I understand that the first lady had a stressful experience over the weekend… And also, I agree that hateful and violent rhetoric is something we should reject. I do. And I think a great place to start to dial that back would be to have a conversation with your husband about it.”
White House communications director Steven Cheung then attacked Kimmel online, calling him a “shit human being” and demanding ABC “fire him immediately.”
Disney confirmed the FCC action in a statement, saying it remains confident in its compliance record and qualifications under federal law and the First Amendment.
Kimmel has previously criticized FCC Chair Brendan Carr, once calling him “Trump’s little ferret” and accusing him of trying to silence critics “the easy way or the hard way.”
