Disney and its ABC network have sued the Trump administration's Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to block an early renewal process for ABC's broadcast licences, arguing the move amounts to unlawful retaliation over the network's editorial output. The lawsuit, filed in a US court, describes the FCC's order as "unprecedented" and accuses the regulator of acting under pressure from President Trump to punish ABC for coverage he dislikes, warning that such government pressure on broadcasters constitutes "deeply un-American" censorship.

The case centres on an FCC order issued in April requiring early renewal applications from ABC's eight Disney-owned stations, allegedly the first such demand from the commission in more than 50 years and only 30 days to prepare filings that normally take months. The notice came a day after ABC host Jimmy Kimmel joked about Melania Trump, and follows earlier friction including Disney briefly suspending Kimmel in September 2025 over remarks about Charlie Kirk's murder before reinstating him amid backlash. FCC chairman Brendan Carr has denied retaliation, saying the renewals concern "public interest" obligations, while the lawsuit cites Trump's own social media posts questioning whether ABC's licences should be "terminated" as evidence of political motivation. Disney and ABC are seeking a temporary restraining order and a speedy court hearing.