Disney today sued the FCC and Chairman Brendan Carr in US District Court for the District of Columbia, seeking to halt what it calls a "campaign of censorship" against ABC. The complaint alleges the FCC violated the First Amendment by retaliating against ABC's protected speech, demanding the court stop an early license review Carr ordered for all eight ABC stations.

While station licenses expire between 2028 and 2031, Carr ordered renewal applications years early—a highly unusual move. Disney argues the FCC could use hearings to deny renewals or revoke licenses entirely, forcing stations off the air as President Trump has repeatedly demanded. The FCC claims the review is necessary because ABC's DEI practices may violate anti-discrimination rules.

FCC Democrat Anna Gomez backed Disney's suit, stating the agency has "waged a campaign of censorship and control" using license threats to punish disfavored speech. The lawsuit details Trump's repeated calls for ABC license revocation after the 2024 debate, a Kimmel joke about Melania Trump, and a reporter's question about Epstein files.

The FCC has demanded internal communications from *The View*, *Good Morning America*, and other programs, including political donations of anchors. *The View* has not hosted a political candidate since February 2026, acknowledging its booking process changed due to the FCC proceeding.