FCC Orders Review of ABC Broadcast Licenses Amid Trump’s Kimmel Criticism

(SeaPRwire) –   Federal authorities have mandated an evaluation of all ABC broadcast licenses, a surprising development that has sparked concern among civil liberties groups and could trigger a legal dispute with Disney, the parent company of ABC.

“Disney’s ABC is hereby instructed to submit license renewal applications for all of its authorized TV stations within a 30-day window—specifically, by May 28, 2026,” the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced in a filing on Tuesday.

Disney confirmed to TIME that it had been served with the FCC directive “starting an expedited evaluation” of television stations owned by ABC.

“ABC and its affiliates have a consistent history of adhering to FCC regulations and providing their local audiences with reliable news, emergency alerts, and public-interest content,” a company spokesperson stated to TIME. “We are certain that this history proves our ongoing eligibility as licensees under the Communications Act and the First Amendment, and we are prepared to defend this through the necessary legal channels. Our priority remains, as always, serving the viewers in the local areas where our stations are based.”

The licenses in question were not originally slated for renewal until the period between 2028 and 2031.

The FCC suggested in its filing that the evaluation was linked to an ongoing probe the agency has been conducting into ABC’s diversity programs.

However, the action follows recent criticism from the White House, First Lady Melania Trump, and the President directed at late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, including calls for ABC to terminate him over a joke made on his program Jimmy Kimmel Live! last week.

“Our first lady, Melania, is here. Look at Melania, so beautiful. Mrs. Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow,” Kimmel remarked during a sketch aired on Thursday, in which he performed a mock monologue for the annual White House correspondents’ dinner.

Two days later, at the actual correspondents’ dinner, an armed individual—identified by police as Cole Tomas Allen—reportedly charged a security checkpoint at the venue and opened fire in an apparent attempt to reach and assassinate President Donald Trump. One law enforcement officer was wounded, though the President and other guests at the event were not harmed.

“Kimmel’s hostile and violent language is intended to fracture our nation. His monologue regarding my family is not comedy—his words are damaging and worsen the political divide within America,” the First Lady posted on social media Monday, urging ABC to “take a stand” against Kimmel.

Trump followed with his own criticism, asserting that Kimmel should be “immediately fired by Disney and ABC.”

Kimmel defended his comments during the opening segment of his show Monday night while highlighting his right to free expression.

The comedian stated that the remark “was clearly a joke about their age difference and the look of joy we see on her face whenever they are together … It was not, by any definition, an incitement to assassination.”

Kimmel went on to mention that he has been a vocal opponent of gun violence in the past, while also pointing to Trump’s own history of rhetoric.

“I agree that hostile and violent rhetoric is something we should reject. I do, and I think a great place to start reducing that would be to have a discussion with your husband about it,” Kimmel continued. “I should also point out that Donald Trump is permitted to say whatever he wishes, as are you and as am I. Because under the First Amendment, we have, as Americans, a right to free speech.”

Advocates for free speech have supported Kimmel and criticized the President and First Lady for demanding his dismissal.

“In America, satire is not a crime. The right to parody, to challenge, and yes, to offend those in power, is a cornerstone of democracy,” the Committee for the First Amendment, a free speech group led by actress Jane Fonda, said in a statement first reported by NBC News. “From late-night television to political cartoons, comedy has long served as a vital tool to highlight hypocrisy, spark debate, and encourage accountability.”