Trump joke leads to review of the license of an entire US network
The US government is increasing the pressure on the Disney media group. After presenter Jimmy Kimmel joked about Donald Trump, the media regulator is calling for an early review of ABC’s broadcasting licenses. That causes discussions.
License exam for Disney’s ABC
The US communications authority FCC has ordered an early review of the broadcast licenses for eight local ABC television stations. The broadcaster, which belongs to Disney, must therefore submit extension applications early by May 28, 2026. The regular checks would only take place between 2028 and 2031. The trigger for the US government’s actions is an open conflict between President Donald Trump and late-night talker Jimmy Kimmel.
Kimmel recently made a joke on his show Jimmy Kimmel Live about the presidential couple’s age difference and called Melania Trump an expectant widow. A few days later, there was a foiled attempt on the president on the sidelines of the White House Correspondents Dinner. The Trump family then called for the moderator’s immediate dismissal. Kimmel, on the other hand, invokes freedom of expression and refuses to apologize.
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Media supervision and freedom of the press
As the New York Times reports, the agency officially justified the move with an ongoing investigation into Disney’s diversity policies. The Commission is examining whether internal programs promoting diversity violate current Trump administration regulations that crack down on gender equality rules. However, the approach is being discussed in public as a reaction to the conflict.
The revocation of broadcasting licenses is considered a lengthy process in the USA because the authority has to prove systematic misconduct. The case was and is sensitive because it shows the ongoing debate about state media control and editorial independence – in a country that has really taken up freedom of expression. In principle, the government has the right and obligation to monitor compliance with requirements by licensees. Proponents of the audit argue that television networks have a social responsibility and must comply with guidelines.
In return, lawyers warn of a violation of the First Amendment of the US Constitution, which protects freedom of the press from government interference. If the regulator denies the licenses after the review, Disney will have legal recourse in the federal courts. During legal proceedings, ABC’s broadcasting operations are likely to continue without restrictions, including on the so-called local affiliates. Incidentally, this is not the first conflict between Kimmel and the Trump administration: last year, the show was temporarily taken off the program after a comment about the conservative activist Charlie Kirk before the station continued broadcasting.
