FCC asks court to dismiss Disney lawsuit over ABC station licenses

September 4, 2026 at 09:02 AM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission asked a federal judge on Thursday to dismiss Disney's lawsuit seeking to block early review of licenses for eight ABC stations. The FCC argued Disney's success would hinder its investigation into allegations of unlawful discrimination. The case tests broadcasters' free speech rights as President Donald Trump has repeatedly called for ABC to lose its licenses.

Key Facts

The FCC asked a federal judge on Thursday to dismiss Disney's lawsuit over early review of licenses for eight ABC stations.
FCC Chair Brendan Carr ordered the early reviews in April, even though license renewals were not scheduled before October 2028.
U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan set an October 6 hearing on the lawsuit.
The FCC agreed to provide at least 48 hours' notice before referring Disney's ABC licenses for a public hearing.
Trump called on the FCC to rebuke or punish NBC journalist Kristen Welker on Sunday.

FCC Motion

The FCC argued that Disney's success would prevent the commission from analyzing evidence in its ongoing investigation. The agency said the case should be before a federal appeals court in Washington rather than the district court. The FCC had not ordered an early review in more than 50 years before April.

Political Pressure

President Donald Trump has called repeatedly for ABC to lose its licenses over programming he dislikes. The reviews were ordered a day after Trump urged ABC to fire late-night host Jimmy Kimmel. Trump has repeatedly urged broadcasters to drop comedy or news programs he dislikes or which have joked about or criticized him or his administration. Carr has been investigating diversity practices at Comcast since February 2025 and has not ruled out subjecting its NBC licenses to an early review.

Disney Response

Disney said in its suit the FCC was seeking to coerce and retaliate against a network that refuses to bow to the administration's demands. The company called the agency's actions an extraordinary assault on free speech. Disney declined to comment on Thursday.