ABC Sues FCC Over Alleged Retaliation for Critical Coverage and Jimmy Kimmel Jokes
On August 18, 2026, the American Broadcasting Company (ABC), its owner The Walt Disney Company, and several affiliate television stations filed a 45-page lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia against the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), its chair Brendan Carr, and other FCC commissioners. The lawsuit seeks declaratory and injunctive relief, alleging that the FCC's actions constitute unconstitutional attempts to suppress their First Amendment rights of freedom of the press. The suit claims the FCC is retaliating against ABC's news coverage by demanding early license renewal applications and unrelated information regarding their diversity, equity, and inclusion policies. This action follows numerous comments from President Trump and Chairman Carr criticizing the media and threatening to withdraw licenses. Specifically, the lawsuit cites FCC Chairman Carr's remarks after comedian Jimmy Kimmel made comments on air, where Carr stated, 'We can do this the easy way or the hard wa... 
