The Federal Communications Commission's decision to fast-track license renewal reviews for several Disney-owned broadcast stations has sparked a fierce backlash from Democratic Commissioner Anna M. Gomez, who on Tuesday accused the agency of carrying out a politically motivated assault on free speech.
Gomez, a frequent antagonist of FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, labeled the move “the most egregious action this FCC has taken in violation of the First Amendment to date.” She argued that the probe is directly tied to President Trump's public demand that ABC fire late-night host Jimmy Kimmel after he made jokes about the president and first lady Melania Trump last week.
“As part of its ongoing campaign of censorship and control, the White House called publicly for the silencing of a vocal critic, and this FCC has now answered that call,” Gomez said in a statement. “This is an unprecedented and politically motivated attempt to interfere with how broadcasters operate, and this unlawful overreach will fail.”
The FCC’s review process, which targets a handful of Disney-owned and operated stations, comes on the heels of Trump and Melania Trump calling for Kimmel’s dismissal. The agency has stated in filings that it has been investigating Disney for months over its corporate diversity, equity, and inclusion practices, but Gomez dismissed that as a pretext.
Chairman Carr has maintained that the FCC has a duty to ensure broadcasters using public airwaves serve the “public interest,” and he has been openly critical of both Kimmel’s commentary and ABC’s news coverage. The agency has accelerated the review of these licenses amid rising political tensions, as reported by The World Signal.
Disney responded Tuesday with a statement asserting its long record of compliance with FCC rules and its commitment to serving local communities with trusted news, emergency information, and public-interest programming. The company expressed confidence that its record “demonstrates our continued qualifications as licensees under the Communications Act and the First Amendment” and said it is prepared to defend itself through appropriate legal channels.
Gomez’s warning extended beyond Disney, suggesting the Trump administration is using the FCC to intimidate media companies and personalities critical of the president. “This should be a lesson to media companies that no amount of capitulation to this Administration will buy them protection,” she said. “The only choice is to stand up and stand firm in defense of the First Amendment.”
The dispute echoes broader battles over free speech and government power, including recent developments such as the federal judge tossing a DOJ suit over Arizona voter list access, and underscores the deepening partisan divide over media regulation.
