Dorothy

Trump has repeatedly called for Kimmel to be fired, including after the president accused the late-night host of making a “despicable call to violence” about the president and first lady Melania Trump. The FCC’s early review, however, formally centers on ABC’s broadcast licenses and the agency’s authority to determine whether broadcasters are operating in the “public interest.”

The chairman denied that the agency’s decision to require an early license review of ABC was linked to Kimmel’s joke, even though the inquiry started shortly after Trump and his wife called on ABC and Disney to take the comedian off the air.

Back in April, the FCC appeared to retaliate against a joke made by ABC late night host Jimmy Kimmel about first lady Melania Trump by suddenly requiring ABC to file early broadcast license renewal applications for all eight of its television stations.

But he has also been outspoken in his support for Trump's agenda, including specific criticisms of ABC, Kimmel, "The View" and its journalists. In one instance, he warned that ABC and Disney could "do this the easy way or the hard way" amid the president's call for Kimmel to be pulled off the air. The host was suspended and returned days later after a major public outcry.

“We’re going to stand up to what we believe is journalistic integrity,” Josh D’Amaro told CNBC. “And we’re not going to be told how to run that side of our business,” he added referring to the ABC broadcast network.

The complaint dropped days after Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro indicated that the company would not capitulate to the FCC’s threats against its journalism business.

In September 2025, Disney briefly pulled “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” from the air after Carr publicly criticized Kimmel over comments he made following the assassination of Charlie Kirk. Kimmel had questioned the motives attributed to Kirk’s alleged killer and criticized Republicans for their response to the killing.

Ironically, ABC had been the first in a string of major media companies and digital giants to reach settlements with Trump over lawsuits he filed against them as a private citizen. It paid $16 million to settle his defamation case in December 2024, involving remarks by anchor George Stephanopoulos, after Trump had won a return to the White House but before his inauguration.

Carr has argued that the FCC is not attempting to dictate what broadcasters say but is instead seeking to ensure that companies holding broadcast licenses meet their obligations to the public. Disney and ABC have rejected that characterization, previously accusing the FCC of attempting to chill constitutionally protected speech.