ABC and its parent company Disney have sued the Federal Communications Commission, accusing the regulator of waging a "retaliatory campaign" against the broadcaster over its news and political coverage. The lawsuit, filed in federal court, alleges the FCC has been punishing ABC for its speech by threatening its broadcast licenses, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing dispute between the network and the Trump administration.

The row has been building for months, with the Trump administration repeatedly criticising ABC's political coverage, particularly on The View and via former late-night host Jimmy Kimmel. The FCC opened a probe into The View's handling of political candidates' airtime in February and ordered Disney-owned ABC stations to file for early licence renewal in April, prompting ABC to warn the move would chill free speech. ABC also declined to broadcast Donald Trump's 16 July speech on its linear channels, streaming it only on ABC News Live instead. The network is now seeking a court order to halt the FCC's licence renewal proceedings, warning that if the administration succeeds, media companies nationwide would face pressure to report only favourable stories. The FCC had not responded to requests for comment at the time of publication.