Lawyers for the Trump administration argued the case belongs in a circuit court of appeals and termed the probe an anti-discrimination investigation into diversity and hiring. Disney, which owns ABC, filed for a preliminary injunction 7 weeks ago to block FCC Chair Brendan Carr from challenging the licenses, which are not due for renewal until 2028 through 2031. The Disney legal team alleged in court that Carr is acting on 'marching orders' from President Trump to target the broadcaster.
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
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Skeptical Judge Questions FCC's 8 Station Probe of ABC
US Politics14 days ago
The network has already altered its news coverage and shifted programming to YouTube to avoid government retaliation, its lawyer argued in federal court Tuesday. ABC attorney Beth Wilkinson told Judge Loren AliKhan that the FCC's review of 8 broadcast licenses is an effort to punish editorial decisions and content from Jimmy Kimmel. Judge AliKhan questioned government lawyers on why the agency launched such a severe response to a dispute over hiring documents and why all owned-and-operated stations are being investigated simultaneously, which Wilkinson noted had never happened before.
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