ABC has charged the Federal Communications Commission with infringing on its First Amendment rights, paving the way for what could become a lengthy and high-profile legal confrontation between the network and the Trump administration.
In a filing with the agency, the network argued that regulators were creating a “chilling effect” on free speech by attempting to penalize political content they opposed. The document, which became public on Friday, marks the most forceful pushback by any major television network since President Trump launched his sustained effort last year to rein in media organizations.
The stance represents a notable shift for ABC. Under its parent company, Walt Disney, the network had initially adopted a more conciliatory approach toward Trump, settling a defamation lawsuit with him for $15 million in December 2024—a case that many legal experts viewed as unlikely to succeed in court.
The FCC has also targeted ABC’s daytime political talk show “The View,” questioning whether it can continue to receive an exemption from the “equal time rule,” which requires broadcasters to give opposing political candidates equal airtime.
The FCC has also targeted ABC’s daytime political talk show “The View,” questioning whether it can continue to receive an exemption from the “equal time rule,” which requires broadcasters to give opposing political candidates equal airtime.
In a formal filing, Disney’s Houston station KTRK-TV called the FCC’s actions “unprecedented” and “beyond the Commission’s authority.” The station argued that “The View” has long qualified as a “bona fide” news interview program and is therefore exempt from the equal time obligations, reports The L-A Times.
“The Commission’s actions threaten to upend decades of settled law and practice and chill critical protected speech, both with respect to The View and more broadly,” KTRK-TV said in the petition for a declaratory ruling.
The dispute sets up a direct confrontation between ABC and the Trump administration. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has openly criticized both Kimmel and “The View.” Earlier this year, Carr declared that long-standing exemptions for certain programs, including “The View,” are no longer valid.
An FCC spokesperson said the agency would review Disney’s claim that “The View” qualifies as a bona fide news program.
“Decades ago, Congress passed a law that generally prohibits broadcast television programs from putting a thumb on the scale in favor of one political candidate over another,” the spokesperson said. “The equal time law encourages more speech and empowers voters to decide the outcome of elections.”