Disney accuses Trump officials of ‘blatant violations’ of constitution amid FCC battle

Key Points:

• Disney's lawyers accused the Trump administration and the FCC of unconstitutional censorship after the commission ordered ABC to apply early for renewal of its eight local TV station licenses, linking the move to an investigation into Disney's hiring practices.
• ABC argues the FCC's actions, led by Trump-appointed chair Brendan Carr, aim to chill the network's editorial independence, citing past threats to its licenses tied to its critical coverage of the administration.
• ABC claims the pressure has caused a "chilling effect," altering its programming decisions, including avoiding political bookings on shows like The View and shifting some content to platforms outside FCC jurisdiction.
• The FCC denies that the early renewal order influenced ABC's editorial choices and contends the case should be heard in the court of appeals, asserting the license renewal process is a tool to expedite investigation into potential equal opportunity violations.
• District Judge Loren AliKhan questioned the FCC's rationale for the early renewal demand, noting inconsistencies and the timing of the enforcement actions, and took the case under advisement without issuing a ruling.