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The Walt Disney Co., ABC and several Disney-owned television stations sued the Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday, seeking to block an accelerated broadcast license renewal process that the company says amounts to retaliation by the Trump administration over ABC’s programming.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Washington, comes months after the FCC ordered Disney’s eight owned-and-operated ABC stations to begin renewing their broadcast licenses years earlier than scheduled.
Disney argues the order is part of a broader campaign by the Trump administration against ABC and its programming, citing criticism from President Donald Trump and FCC Chairman Brendan Carr.
The eight ABC stations targeted by the FCC are all plaintiffs in Tuesday’s lawsuit.
Disney calls FCC action retaliation
The FCC ordered Disney’s stations in April to file early renewal applications amid investigations involving ABC’s daytime program “The View” and Disney’s diversity, equity and inclusion policies.
Disney’s lawsuit argues the FCC’s actions are motivated by the administration’s objections to ABC’s programming rather than legitimate regulatory concerns.
“Acting through the Federal Communications Commission, the Administration has waged a retaliatory campaign against ABC for a single reason: it disapproves of what ABC broadcasts,” the lawsuit states.
The company specifically points to Trump’s own social media comments as evidence.
Trump has repeatedly criticized television networks and their coverage of his administration. In one post cited by Disney, he complained that late-night television hosts were “almost 100% Negative to President Donald J. Trump” and questioned whether broadcast licenses should be terminated.
The lawsuit describes the FCC’s action as an “existential threat” to the affected stations.
ABC seeks immediate court intervention
Disney’s attorneys, Beth Wilkinson and Paul Clement, argue that the FCC’s order is unprecedented because it requires the stations to submit renewal applications years before their licenses would normally expire.
The company also objects to the short deadline imposed by the commission.
The lawsuit says applications that normally take months to prepare were required within 30 days.
Disney is asking the court to immediately prevent the FCC from taking or threatening enforcement action against the stations related to the early renewal applications.
ABC also requested an expedited hearing and a temporary restraining order.
The FCC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Fight follows pressure over Jimmy Kimmel
The lawsuit is the latest escalation in a broader dispute between the Trump administration and ABC.
The network temporarily pulled “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” from the air in September 2025 after pressure from Carr following comments Kimmel made about the man accused of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Kimmel also criticized Republican reactions to Kirk’s death.
The FCC’s actions against Disney and ABC have continued since then.
Carr has rejected accusations that the commission is targeting ABC because of its political content.
In July, he said the FCC’s actions were intended to ensure broadcasters operate in the “public interest.”
“If broadcasters don’t like that, that’s okay,” Carr said. “They can become a cable channel, they can become a podcast, they can stream online.”
Carr added that broadcasters using the public airwaves have obligations that other media platforms do not.
FCC challenges ABC’s defense of ‘The View’
Another dispute involves “The View,” which Disney and ABC have argued qualifies as a legitimate news program.
The companies have pointed to a 2002 FCC staff ruling involving the program.
Carr has rejected that precedent as sufficient, arguing that the earlier decision was based on representations about the program made more than two decades ago.
He has questioned whether the program remains substantially the same as it was when the ruling was issued.
The dispute has added another layer to the FCC’s investigation of Disney’s broadcast operations.
Disney CEO vows to fight FCC
Newly installed Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro said Friday that the company intends to continue challenging the FCC’s actions.
“We’re going to stand up to what we believe is journalistic integrity,” D’Amaro said in an interview with CNBC.
D’Amaro said Disney would not allow the government to dictate how it operates ABC’s broadcast business.
The lawsuit now puts the dispute before a federal judge, where Disney is seeking immediate protection for its stations while challenging the FCC’s authority to accelerate the renewal process.
The case could become a significant test of the limits of federal broadcast regulation and the government’s ability to take action against broadcasters whose programming draws criticism from the White House.
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