FCC threatens ABC's licenses as Trumps call for Kimmel's firing

The Federal Communications Commission is ramping up the pressure on ABC and Disney by threatening

to strip broadcasters of their station licenses.

The FCC says the review of the licenses is tied to Disney's DEI initiatives, but it's

widely seen as retaliation in the ongoing battle between President Trump and ABC and its

late-night host Jimmy Kimmel.

On his show last week, Kimmel paraded Saturday's White House correspondence dinner in advance,

delivering a mock roast, which included this joke about the Trumps.

And of course, our first lady, Melania, is here.

Look at more.

So beautiful.

Mrs. Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow.

Kimmel later said it was a joke about their age difference, but following the shooting

at the dinner, the first lady yesterday wrote a post on X criticizing Kimmel saying he

quote, deepens the political sickness in America and that people like Kimmel shouldn't

have the opportunity to enter our homes each evening to spread hate.

That was echoed by the president who said Disney should fire Kimmel and then re-iterated

by press secretary Caroline Levin.

Just two days prior to the shooting, ABC's late-night host Jimmy Kimmel disgustingly called

first lady Melania Trump an expectant widow.

Who in their right minds says a wife would be glowing over the potential murder of her

beloved husband?

This kind of rhetoric about the president, the first lady, and his supporters is completely

deranged and it's unbelievable that the American people are consuming it night after night after

night.

For his part, Kimmel said last night that this is all a matter of free speech.

For more on all of this, we're joined now by CNN's chief media analyst Brian Stelter,

whose outside ABC's New York headquarters.

Brian, thanks for making time for us.

So the FCC says the timing of this license review coming within 24 hours of president

Trump criticizing Kimmel is coincidental.

How credible is that claim given the sequence of events?

Well, I don't know any legal experts or FCC experts who believe that claim.

It is true.

There's been an open investigation of Disney involving the company's diversity practices,

DEI programs.

That's been going on for quite some time and it is true that just last week Disney turned

over some documents in that probe.

So that's going to give the Trump aligned FCC German Brendan Carr, the excuse or the rationale

or the story that he can tell publicly about why this is happening.

But listen, we've heard President Trump threaten local TV station licenses for more than

a year now.

This is the first concrete action that the government's taking to follow up on those threats.

He is calling in the car is calling in these licenses for early renewal, which is a way

to challenge the licensees.

And it's going to cause a protracted legal battle.

But the action today is being called by the lone Democrat on the FCC, Anna Gomez, quote,

the most egregious action the FCC has taken in violation of the First Amendment to date.

She basically says Brendan Carr heard Trump's complaint and today is entering the president's

call.

The last time the FCC revoked a broadcast license related to a station's programming

was in 1969.

There was a station in Jackson, Mississippi, which defended segregation on the air.

What are the realistic outcomes here?

Are we talking fines, conditions on licenses or something more severe?

I think the process is mostly the punishment here.

It is unlikely that ABC would have its station licenses in eight cities where it owns stations.

It's unlikely those would actually be revoked.

And if the FCC does try to revoke those licenses, again, it'll cause a protracted legal

battle.

ABC can appeal.

And there's lots of, there's lots of legal rationale or legal history to believe that ABC

would win.

But here's the thing, Disney would have to be willing to fight.

That's the big question here.

Will Disney fight it out in court?

Now, today, the company came out with a statement that says it believes it's confident

it will prevail and it did cite the First Amendment.

And my sources at Disney say they're willing to fight this First Amendment battle.

Will that be true over a period of months and maybe even years?

We don't know.

And by the way, this might not just be about Kimmel or about DEI programs for that matter.

And this building is the ABT daytime talk show, the view and FCC officials have also been

scrutinizing the view over alleged equal time violations.

So basically, if you're the head of Disney, you have government pressure from multiple

directions right now.

This is a big test for the new CEO, Josh Di Amaro, who just took over for Bob Iger six

weeks ago.

But so far at least, my source is say he is willing to stiffen his spine and push back

because this sure looks like a First Amendment clash.

And tell our other broadcasters watching all of this, Brian, based on your reporting.

Well, right now, we're talking about a handful of big companies and of course, PBS as

well, broadcasters that are licensed by the federal government, channels like the One

I work CNN, they're not licensed by the federal government.

But this action that we are seeing from the government, it does potentially have a chilling

effect all across the mainstream media.

But I am hardened to say that when we've seen these other First Amendment stress tests

in America during Trump 2.0, America's been passing the tests, maybe not within a plus

grade.

But remember last September when Kimmel was briefly pulled off the air when there was

another controversy, and then he was brought back less than a week later, that's an example

of Disney recognizing that it has to defend its stars and defend the right of comedians

and yes, journalists to speak freely.

Normally, gosh, when we cover political leaders trying to silence a comedian, we're usually

talking about authoritarian regimes, but right now it's happening here in America.

CNN Chief Media Analyst, Brian Stelter, good to see you, thanks for being with us.