Federal Communications Commission chairman Brendan Carr is pushing back against growing speculation that the agency’s sudden move to review ABC’s broadcast licenses was politically motivated. Despite the timing, Carr insists that President Donald Trump, and his specific calls to fire Jimmy Kimmel, played no part in the decision.
Speaking publicly after the FCC ordered an accelerated renewal process for ABC’s owned-and-operated stations, Carr insisted the decision had nothing to do with President Donald Trump’s repeated calls to fire late-night host Jimmy Kimmel over a controversial Melania Trump joke. Instead, Carr said the action stems from a long-running investigation into alleged discriminatory practices at ABC’s parent company, Disney.
Carr dismissed the avalanche of headlines tying the decision to the ongoing Trump vs. Kimmel feud. “I understand that anything we do is framed as ‘in the wake of’ in headlines,” Carr said.“But we’ve got to make these decisions based on where we are in the investigations, and what is best for next steps in that enforcement proceeding."
But just days before the FCC’s order, Trump publicly demanded that ABC fire Kimmel over a joke about First Lady Melania Trump delivered during a bit on Jimmy Kimmel Live!. The "expectant widow" punchline sparked outrage from the administration, particularly after an unrelated security incident at the real WHCD event days later.
Despite the proximity of those events, Carr denied any outside influence. “There was no pressure from the outside, there was no suggestion from the outside,” he said, stressing that the decision was made internally based on the status of the FCC’s investigation.
On the contrary, Carr argued that President Trump has been nothing but transparent. The FCC chair said that "a lot of people" agree with the president and First Lady Melania Trump regarding what ABC should do about Kimmel. But apparently that does not include those at the FCC now putting an unusual level of scrutiny on Disney.
The FCC’s move is unusual, as ABC’s licenses were not due for renewal until years from now. By requiring early filings, the agency has effectively fast-tracked a process that could lead to prolonged legal battles. The media company has already made it clear that they are standing behind Kimmel, with reports indicating Disney knows the attacks on the late-night host are hypocritical.
Critics of the administration and broadcast industry insiders remain skeptical of Carr’s explanation, arguing that the timing alone creates the appearance of political retaliation. A similar case when CBS announced plans to cancel The Late Show with Stephen Colbert after host Stephen Colbert called out parent company Paramount for settling a lawsuit with President Trump.
Time will tell regarding who blinks first between the FCC and Disney. But as it stands now, both sides seem ready to take things as far as necessary to defend their positions.
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