Will Trump's FCC Take Away ABC's TV Licenses Over Jimmy Kimmel Feud? Inside Potential Legal Fight

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fX8nn4faCIs

The FCC can review broadcast station licenses, but taking away ABC’s licenses would be a lengthy legal process and the agency’s stated move is an early renewal review, not an immediate revocation.

What the FCC can do

The FCC licenses individual broadcast stations, not the network itself, and it usually operates through standard renewal cycles. Reports say the current step is an early review request for Disney-owned ABC stations, with a deadline to file renewal applications by May 28, 2026.

Why this is controversial

Critics say the review looks retaliatory because it comes right as Trump and Melania are publicly pressuring ABC over Jimmy Kimmel. One FCC commissioner warned the White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting should not be used as a pretext for censoring speech.

What a legal fight would look like

ABC would likely argue that revoking licenses over content would raise major First Amendment and administrative-law issues. The network also has procedural protections, so even an aggressive FCC action would face hearings, appeals, and likely court review before anything dramatic could happen.