The Walt Disney Company has filed a 109-page rebuttal accusing the Federal Communications Commission of politically motivated retaliation against ABC, as regulators consider an unprecedented review that could strip broadcast licenses from eight of the network’s largest local television stations.
Disney has dramatically intensified its dispute with the Federal Communications Commission, accusing the regulator of waging a politically driven campaign against ABC on behalf of President Donald Trump. In a lengthy 109-page filing, Disney’s attorneys argued the FCC’s actions amount to retaliation over the network’s programming, including late-night host Jimmy Kimmel’s criticism of the president and ongoing scrutiny of Disney’s diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. “The retaliation against ABC is a signal to every media company in the country: accommodate the Administration’s view of what news coverage should look like or pay the price,” the filing stated.
The stations under threat
At the centre of the dispute is the FCC’s decision earlier this year to launch an early review of the broadcast licenses held by all eight of Disney’s owned-and-operated ABC stations simultaneously, including KABC-TV in Los Angeles, WABC-TV in New York, and stations serving San Francisco, Fresno, Houston and Philadelphia. Should the licenses ultimately be revoked, several of ABC’s largest local stations would be forced off air, dealing a significant blow to the network’s nationwide broadcasting operations.
Broadcast licenses are typically renewed every eight years, and stations generally continue operating throughout the renewal process unless the FCC identifies serious violations of its public interest obligations. Disney has warned that revoking the licenses would disrupt emergency alerts, local news coverage and public safety broadcasting relied upon by millions of viewers across major metropolitan areas.
Disney’s case against the FCC
Disney’s lawyers argued that the FCC has spent months searching for grounds to justify action against the stations. “The FCC has spent the last 18 months searching for some pretext for revoking the stations’ licenses,” the company’s attorneys wrote. “The Commission has found none, because the stations easily meet the standard for license renewal.”
According to Disney, the FCC’s approach is without precedent in the modern era, noting the agency had not ordered a simultaneous, group-wide license review of television stations in more than 50 years before launching the current proceedings in April. The company also pointed to the timing of the investigation, noting the FCC announced its review just one day after Trump publicly criticised ABC following a Kimmel monologue that joked about the president’s health and First Lady Melania Trump. “For the first time in history, the Federal Communications Commission has ordered an entire group of local television stations … to undergo simultaneous license renewal proceedings well before their current licenses expire,” Disney wrote, calling on regulators to dismiss the review entirely.
The FCC’s position
The FCC has maintained that its inquiry stems from an investigation into Disney’s internal DEI programmes, which regulators have examined as part of the wider Trump administration effort to scrutinise diversity initiatives across corporate America. The commission has also separately questioned whether ABC’s daytime talk show The View should retain its longstanding exemption from equal-time rules that apply to political programming.
Public response and law enforcement support
The review has generated significant public feedback, with more than 152,000 comments submitted to the FCC by Wednesday’s filing deadline. Disney said approximately 96% of those comments supported renewing the ABC stations’ licenses.
Support came from several senior California law enforcement figures, including Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna, Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, who argued that ABC’s local stations play a critical role in wildfire coverage, emergency warnings and broader public safety communications. In his letter, Luna said KABC, which has served Southern California for more than 75 years, provides residents with “timely and accurate information that has … undoubtedly saved lives.”
Political reaction
A number of senior Democratic lawmakers have also urged the FCC to abandon the review, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and California Representatives Ted Lieu, Laura Friedman, Maxine Waters and Ro Khanna. They argue the agency is improperly using its regulatory authority to target a media company over its editorial content.
FCC Commissioner Anna M. Gomez, the commission’s only Democratic member, has been among the most vocal critics of the investigation, describing it as “naked political retribution and an unlawful assault on free speech,” and warning it could carry broader implications for press freedom.
Opposition to Disney’s position
Not everyone has sided with Disney. The conservative Center for American Rights filed a petition urging regulators to deny the station renewals. “ABC’s rights are important, but they are not preeminent,” the organisation’s president, Daniel Suhr, wrote, arguing the FCC should instead prioritise “the right of viewers of ABC stations.” He further claimed: “ABC does not expose viewers to ‘information from diverse and antagonistic sources.’ … ABC engages in explicit racial and gender discrimination.”
Disney’s legal strategy
Disney has assembled a high-profile legal team to fight the case, led by chief legal officer Horacio Gutierrez, alongside veteran attorneys Beth Wilkinson and Jennifer Tatel, as well as former US Solicitor General Paul Clement. The composition of the team signals that Disney is preparing for a potentially lengthy legal battle, one that could ultimately reach the US Supreme Court. Should the FCC proceed to revoke the licenses, it would represent one of the most significant regulatory actions ever taken against a major American television broadcaster, with potentially far-reaching implications for how broadcast licenses are reviewed in future.
