The Federal Communications Commission plans to review Walt Disney Company’s ABC broadcast licenses two years ahead of schedule, a rare regulatory action following controversial remarks by late-night host Jimmy Kimmel about President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump.

Unprecedented Federal Action

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr confirmed the review could begin as early as Tuesday, according to multiple reports. The licenses for ABC-owned stations, including KABC in Los Angeles, were not scheduled for renewal until 2028. The early review represents an exceedingly rare use of federal broadcast authority. Democratic FCC appointee Anna Gomez called the action unprecedented and unlawful, stating companies should challenge it based on First Amendment protections.

Great job @marcorubio

Hope you’re proud of yourself pic.twitter.com/lEdSFxVrLT

— Dan Pfeiffer (@danpfeiffer) April 27, 2026

The review follows mounting criticism of Kimmel’s Thursday night comedy routine ahead of the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner. During the segment, Kimmel described First Lady Melania Trump as having the glow of an expectant widow, a joke he later explained referenced the age difference between the President and his wife. The dinner was subsequently shut down after a Torrance man, Cole Tomas Allen, breached security while armed with multiple weapons. Allen faces three criminal charges, including attempting to assassinate President Trump.

Free Speech Concerns Mount

Chairman Carr has previously targeted ABC programming, particularly the daytime talk show The View, suggesting it should not be exempt from equal time rules requiring balanced political coverage. Free speech advocates have expressed alarm at Carr’s repeated threats to use regulatory power against broadcasters. Historical precedent shows such actions face significant legal hurdles. The last company to lose broadcast licenses was RKO General in 1987, a case involving corporate malfeasance rather than content disputes that took seven years to complete.

Historical Context and Legal Challenges

Previous administrations have threatened television station licenses over negative coverage. During the Watergate scandal, Richard Nixon’s allies unsuccessfully attempted to challenge licenses for three Washington Post-owned stations. Legal experts note the First Amendment provides substantial protection for broadcasters, making successful license revocation based on content extremely difficult. Disney has not publicly commented on the potential review, though constitutional law suggests any attempt to revoke licenses based on programming content would face immediate legal challenges and likely fail in federal court.