Walt Disney Co. (DIS) filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday against the Federal Communications Commission, accusing the agency of waging an illegal “retaliatory campaign” against its ABC network.
The suit, filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, alleges the FCC is violating ABC’s First Amendment rights through what the network calls “pretextual regulatory investigations.”
Disney says the FCC has threatened its broadcast licenses by launching an early renewal process, compressing timelines that were originally set to expire between 2028 and 2031.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr moved to accelerate that renewal process in April, putting eight Disney-owned stations under heightened scrutiny across major U.S. markets.
The stations named in the complaint include KABC-TV in Los Angeles, WABC-TV in New York, WLS-TV in Chicago, WPVI-TV in Philadelphia, KTRK-TV in Houston, KGO-TV in San Francisco, WTVD in Durham, N.C., and KFSN-TV in Fresno.
As part of the early review, those stations must demonstrate they serve the public interest, and the FCC has opened an investigation into Disney’s diversity, equity, and inclusion policies.
The agency has also scrutinized the daytime talk show “The View” and recently criticized ABC for declining to air a primetime speech from President Donald Trump on its main network broadcast.
The lawsuit cites Trump’s own social media posts, including one in which he complained that late-night TV hosts “are almost 100% Negative to President Donald J. Trump” and asked whether broadcast licenses should “be terminated?”
In September 2025, Disney briefly pulled late-night host Jimmy Kimmel off the air following pressure from Chairman Carr after Kimmel made comments about the motivations of the man who authorities say fatally shot conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
ABC said the FCC’s pressure campaign has had a chilling effect on programming decisions, noting the network has not booked a political candidate on “The View” since the FCC launched its inquiry.
The suit states the network has been “more circumspect in booking political candidates, and has resulted in passing on further consideration of booking several political candidates.”
ABC had already pushed back in May, filing applications it described as submitted “under protest in response to an unlawful, arbitrary, and unconstitutional order” from the FCC.
Carr, speaking to CNBC at the time, said the agency’s focus was on Disney’s DEI practices and insisted the early license renewal process was not tied to First Amendment concerns.
Disney’s suit makes a sweeping argument about press freedom, warning that a government victory would send a chilling message to every American media company.
The suit argues: “If the Administration gets its way, the message to every media company in the country will be unmistakable: tell only the stories the Administration deems favorable, or face the coercive machinery of the federal government.”
Disney said it was left with no other option, describing the lawsuit as necessary given “no alternative means to eliminate these ongoing and immediate threats other than total capitulation to the Administration’s demands.”
The company is asking the court to immediately block the FCC from taking or threatening any action against Disney and its ABC stations related to the early license renewal applications.
ABC also requested a temporary restraining order and a speedy hearing from the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
Anna M. Gomez, the lone Democratic appointee on the FCC, voiced strong support for Disney’s legal challenge, saying, “I have long called on companies to push back against this kind of government intimidation, and I’m glad Disney has shown courage and stepped up.”
Gomez added the lawsuit “should be a welcome sign for every broadcaster who has felt the weight of this overreaching government pressure in silence,” as the FCC did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
