Disney files lawsuit against FCC, calls ABC licence review ‘retaliatory’
The suit challenges the FCC’s April directive requiring Disney's eight owned-and-operated ABC stations to seek licence renewals years ahead of schedule
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Published: Aug 19, 2026 8:51 AM | 2 min read
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- The Walt Disney Company has filed a lawsuit against the FCC, alleging politically motivated retaliation against ABC through an early review of its television broadcast licenses.
- The lawsuit challenges an April directive requiring Disney's ABC stations to renew their licenses years ahead of schedule, which were not due for renewal until at least 2028.
- Disney claims the FCC's actions deviate from established regulatory practices and are part of a broader campaign by the Trump administration to pressure the network over its programming.
- FCC Chairman Brendan Carr dismissed the lawsuit as lacking merit, asserting that the commission will continue to uphold the law and its review of Disney's diversity practices has been ongoing for over a year.
The Walt Disney Company has filed a lawsuit against the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC), accusing the regulator of targeting ABC through an unprecedented early review of its television broadcast licences in what it describes as politically motivated retaliation against the network's editorial content.
Filed in a Washington, D.C. federal court, the suit challenges the FCC's April directive requiring Disney's eight owned-and-operated ABC stations to seek licence renewals years ahead of schedule. The licences were otherwise not due for renewal until at least 2028.
Disney argues the move departs from long-established regulatory practice and is part of a broader campaign by the Trump administration to pressure the broadcaster over its programming. The complaint cites repeated criticism of ABC and late-night host Jimmy Kimmel by US President Donald Trump, as well as ongoing FCC scrutiny of Disney's diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies and the talk show The View.
Calling the FCC's action an ‘existential threat’ to its broadcast business, Disney has asked the court to immediately block the agency from taking further action linked to the early renewal process. The company has also sought a temporary restraining order and an expedited hearing.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr dismissed the lawsuit, telling US media that the case lacks merit and that the commission would continue to follow the law in its proceedings. The FCC has maintained that broadcasters are obligated to operate in the public interest and said its review of Disney's DEI practices has been underway for more than a year.
The legal challenge marks one of the strongest responses by a major US media company to regulatory actions under the second Trump administration and is expected to intensify the debate around press freedom, government oversight and the independence of broadcast regulation in the US.
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