U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters aboard Air Force One on his way to a state visit in Britain, Sept. 16, 2025.<\/p>\n
Kevin Lamarque | Reuters<\/p>\n
President Donald Trump<\/a> on Thursday suggested that the federal government might revoke the licenses of broadcast television networks that are “against” him.<\/p>\n Trump’s comment came a day after ABC suspended airing the “Jimmy Kimmel<\/a> Live!” show because of comments its host made linking the alleged killer of conservative activist Charlie Kirk<\/a> to Trump’s MAGA movement.<\/p>\n Federal Communications Commission<\/a> Chairman Brendan Carr<\/a> earlier on Wednesday had hinted that the broadcast license of ABC \u2014 which is a subsidiary of Disney<\/a> \u2014 was at risk if it did not “take action on Kimmel.”<\/p>\n Speaking on Thursday to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said, “I have read someplace that the networks were 97% against me, again, 97% negative, and yet I won and easily, all seven swing states,” referring to his 2024 election win.<\/p>\n “They give me only bad publicity, press. I mean, they’re getting a license,” Trump said, according to audio from a press gaggle provided by the White House.<\/p>\n “I would think maybe their license should be taken away,” Trump said.<\/p>\n The president said that the decision “will be up to Brendan Carr.”<\/p>\n Trump specifically referred to criticism he has gotten from Kimmel and CBS late-night talk-show host Stephen Colbert.<\/p>\n “Look, that’s something that should be talked about for licensing, too,” Trump said.<\/p>\n “When you have a network and you have evening shows, and all they do is hit Trump,” he said. “That’s all they do. If you go back, I guess they haven’t had a conservative on in years or something, somebody said.”<\/p>\n “But when you go back, take a look, all they do is hit Trump. They’re licensed. They’re not allowed to do that. They’re an arm of the Democrat party,” he said.<\/p>\n Carr earlier Thursday told CNBC’s “Squawk on the Street” that “we’re not done yet” with changes in “the media ecosystem” that are consequences of Trump’s election.<\/p>\n “I think Brendan Carr is outstanding, he’s a patriot,” said Trump, who nominated Carr to his position.<\/p>\n “He loves our country, and he’s a tough guy. So we’ll have to see.”<\/p>\n Broadcast television stations affiliated with networks, including ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox, must receive a license from the FCC to operate because their content is transmitted over the air, and is technically free for viewers as long as they have an antenna.<\/p>\n That contrasts with cable TV networks, whose subscribers pay fees to distributors to watch.<\/p>\n