ABC and Disney Sue FCC, Alleging First Amendment Retaliation Over Programming Decisions

ABC and Disney filed a federal lawsuit in Washington, D.C. on 18 August 2026, alleging the FCC retaliated over editorial choices the Trump administration disapproves of, including ABC streaming rather than broadcasting a presidential speech. ABC calls the FCC's DEI probe a "pretext" and seeks a temporary restraining order to halt early license reviews of its eight owned stations. A hearing is set for October.