Donald Trump and his administration have made common practice of filing dubious lawsuits against media networks they believe have somehow wronged the president. ABC flipped the script on Tuesday, suing the government for allegedly infringing on its First Amendment rights.
The suit against the Federal Communications Commission stems from actions the agency has taken against ABC as Trump has raged over late-night host Jimmy Kimmel making jokes about him. In April, FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr ordered a review of ABC’s broadcasting licenses. The agency said the move was related to diversity policies, but it came a day after Kimmel staged a mock White House Correspondents’ Dinner, making jokes at Trump’s expense. Trump called for Kimmel to be fired a few days later, writing on Truth Social that the host “incompetently presides over one of the Lowest Rated shows on Television.”
ABC’s lawsuit argues that “acting through the Federal Communications Commission, the Administration has waged a retaliatory campaign against ABC for a single reason: it disapproves of what ABC broadcasts.”
The lawsuit highlights several of Trump’s social media posts attacking the network’s coverage and threatening its broadcast licenses, dating back years. It alleges that Carr has moved to carry out the president’s vendetta against the network since taking the reins of the FCC last year. The suit notes that Carr himself has threatened the network, including after Kimmel criticized the right’s reaction to the killing of Charlie Kirk last September.
“We can do this the easy way or the hard way. These companies can find ways to take action on Kimmel, or there is going to be additional work for the FCC ahead,” Carr said on a podcast in the days following Kimmel’s comments.
ABC temporarily suspended Kimmel shortly thereafter, but it didn’t deter Trump from again suggesting that “maybe their license should be taken away,” claiming the network is “not allowed” to “hit Trump” so much.
Trump has a long history of suing the media, including ABC over how host George Stephanopoulos characterized a sexual-abuse ruling against the then-former-and-future president in 2024. Some legal experts felt the case against ABC was thin, but the network decided to settle after Trump won the 2024 election, in the form of a $15 million donation to his presidential library.
Rolling Stone reported on how ABC staffers were incensed by what some described as a “capitulation” to the incoming president.
