Disney challenges the ABC review in court and accuses the Trump administration of political pressure
Kyiv • UNN
Disney is demanding that the review of ABC television stations’ licenses be halted, considering it political pressure. The FCC suspects ABC of discrimination in hiring, which could lead to the licenses being revoked.
The Walt Disney Company filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, seeking to halt the review of the licenses of ABC's regional television stations. The company claims that the actions of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission may be an attempt to exert political pressure on the broadcaster, UNN reports.
Details
The FCC launched the review in April 2026. The commission suspects ABC of possible racial and gender discrimination in hiring, setting salaries, and promotions because of its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policy.
If the violations are confirmed, this could become grounds for revoking the licenses. The case concerns ABC's regional stations in the largest U.S. cities, including New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Houston.
Disney believes that the discrimination allegations are a pretext for pressuring ABC over its editorial policy. The company recalled Donald Trump's repeated threats to strip ABC of its licenses.
This is an extraordinary encroachment on freedom of speech" and an attempt to punish "a network that refuses to comply with the administration's demands
Trump's claims against ABC
Trump had previously criticized ABC over journalist Mary Bruce's questions about his family's business in Saudi Arabia. He later demanded that the television network take comedian Jimmy Kimmel's show off the air and threatened to revoke ABC's license if it refused.
In its lawsuit, Disney claims that the FCC's reviews violate the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech. The company is asking the court to declare the reviews unlawful and temporarily prohibit the FCC from making any decisions concerning the licenses of ABC stations until the case is resolved.