ABC and Disney file lawsuit against FCC alleging First Amendment violations

ABC and its corporate parent, the Walt Disney Co., filed a federal lawsuit on Tuesday accusing the Federal Communications Commission of violating the network’s First Amendment rights. The complaint alleges that the FCC accelerated the renewal review of eight ABC-owned local stations and launched investigations in response to President Trump’s public criticism of the network’s news coverage, the talk show The View and late-night host Jimmy Kimmel.

The suit cites the president’s social-media posts condemning ABC’s programming and argues that the agency’s actions amount to government censorship. It references a recent Supreme Court decision involving the National Rifle Association, which held that the government may not punish or suppress disfavored expression.

ABC and Disney contend that the FCC’s early scrutiny of the stations’ licenses—an unprecedented step in recent history—was intended to appease the president, who has repeatedly called for the network’s licenses to be revoked. The FCC and its chairman, Brendan Carr, have not commented on the filing.

Carr has previously stated that broadcasters must operate in the public interest and comply with the administration’s executive order on diversity, equity and inclusion. He has also publicly criticized ABC, The View and Kimmel, warning the network that it could “do this the easy way or the hard way.”

Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro told CNBC that the company will defend its journalistic integrity and will not be dictated on how to run its news operations. The lawsuit follows a prior settlement in which ABC paid $16 million to resolve a defamation claim filed by Trump in December 2024.

Legal experts say the case could have significant implications for the independence of the FCC and the scope of First Amendment protections for broadcasters.