# FCC review of ABC’s licences includes speech broadcast decision

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/fcc-chair-says-abcs-decision-to-not-broadcast-trump-speech-live-will-be-part-of-agencys-review-of-station-licenses/
- Published: 2026-07-22T19:02:34+00:00
- Updated: 2026-07-23T01:12:16+00:00
- Original publisher: Variety
- Original article: https://variety.com/2026/tv/news/fcc-abc-trump-speech-review-station-licenses-1236818342/
- Topics: Art, Culture, Entertainment, Government, Politics, TV

## Key points

- FCC chief Carr says ABC's snub of Trump speech feeds into licence review
- Trump had demanded ABC and NBC lose licences over the decision
- FCC's Democratic commissioner Gomez calls compelled broadcast "censorship"

## Summary

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr confirmed on Wednesday that ABC's decision not to broadcast President Trump's 16 July speech on election security live would be examined as part of the agency's ongoing early review of licences for ABC's eight owned-and-operated stations. Trump had used the speech to criticise both ABC and NBC for declining to air it live, calling their choice "fraud" and demanding their broadcast licences be revoked — a threat he has made repeatedly against broadcasters in the past. The episode underscored concerns that the FCC, led by a Trump appointee, could use its licensing powers to pressure networks over editorial decisions unfavourable to the president, though Carr's remarks stopped short of announcing any concrete action beyond folding the matter into the existing review.

In the speech itself, Trump alleged US elections had been "rigged and stolen" and claimed China had illegally accessed millions of voter files to manipulate the 2018 and 2020 elections. Carr argued broadcasters carrying presidential remarks "inside the White House" serves the public interest and said all broadcasters would be held to that standard, while ABC declined to comment. The FCC's only Democratic commissioner, Anna Gomez, publicly disputed Carr's position, saying broadcasters have a First Amendment right to make their own editorial decisions and that compelling them to air a speech would itself amount to censorship — a stance that reflects a long-standing precedent giving networks discretion over live presidential broadcasts.

## Coverage

- [Variety: FCC review of ABC’s licences includes speech broadcast decision](https://variety.com/2026/tv/news/fcc-abc-trump-speech-review-station-licenses-1236818342/)
- [Deadline: After Trump Threat, FCC Chairman Says ABC’s Decision Not To Carry POTUS Speech Likely To Be Raised In Early Review Of Broadcast Licenses](https://deadline.com/2026/07/fcc-trump-speech-abc-broadcast-licenses-1237000457/)

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.