Trump Says ABC and NBC Should Lose Their Broadcast Licenses for Not Airing His Address

During his July 16, 2026 primetime address, President Trump said ABC and NBC had declined to carry the speech live and added that fraud like this should mean a revocation of their licenses. CBS and Fox were the only major broadcasters to preempt regular programming; ABC, NBC and CNN did not carry the address on linear television, though ABC and NBC ran coverage on their streaming channels. The official White House rapid response account separately criticized CNN for its decision.

Broadcast licenses are issued by the Federal Communications Commission, an independent agency, and are not the president's to revoke. The remarks arrive against an active regulatory backdrop: FCC chairman Brendan Carr has opened investigations into broadcasters over public-interest compliance, including an inquiry into ABC's The View, and ABC is in a license renewal proceeding. Networks have been cautious about airing unverified 2020 election claims since Fox News paid a $787 million defamation settlement.

No license proceeding has been initiated in response to the coverage decisions. The statement is a presidential demand, not an agency action, and the FCC has not announced any step tied to it.