President Donald Trump has once again targeted major US broadcasters, labeling ABC and NBC as ‘a virtual arm of the Democrat Party’ and accusing them of disseminating ‘fake news.’ The remarks, made on his Truth Social platform, reflect his ongoing campaign against mainstream media, which he claims consistently distorts coverage to benefit his political adversaries. Trump argued that if the expansion of left-leaning networks is allowed, he would not be pleased, and instead, these networks should be ‘made smaller.’
The President’s post was a response to a Newsmax article alleging that FCC Chairman Brendan Carr is advocating for increased reach for television networks and facilitating a potential merger between Nexstar Media Group and Tegna Inc. This follows Trump’s recent escalation in his criticisms of the news media, which coincides with his administration’s efforts to limit press access and exert greater control over media coverage.
The criticisms have extended beyond national broadcasters. After late-night comedian Jimmy Kimmel humorously referenced the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, Carr threatened to evaluate – and possibly revoke – the broadcast licenses of ABC-owned local stations and their affiliates. Trump’s latest calls for revocation of ABC station licenses come amid a dispute that has persisted since his first term, following a recent exchange with an ABC News reporter about his handling of files related to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, which prompted Trump to accuse the network of promoting politically motivated narratives.
FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez recently asserted that revoking broadcast licenses over a reporter’s question would not be legally feasible, stating that networks do not hold licenses themselves and that none of their station licenses are set to expire soon.
FCC head Brendan Carr reiterated his commitment to strengthening public-interest standards for broadcasters, expressing the commission’s openness to diverse viewpoints. The FCC, an independent entity, grants eight-year licenses to individual stations, not national networks.