Donald Trump Threatens to Revoke ABC and NBC FCC Licenses – But Do They Actually Have One?

US President Donald Trump has unleashed a blistering new attack on US television giants ABC and NBC, branding them 'two of the absolute worst and most biased networks anywhere in the World' during a fiery Truth Social rant earlier today.

Trump accused the broadcasters of relentless negative coverage against Republicans and conservatives, reigniting debate over media bias and raising questions about whether such networks could ever lose their Federal Communications Commission (FCC) licenses.

Donald Trump Slams ABC and NBC as 'Most Biased'

In his official Truth Social post, Trump railed against what he called unfair treatment, claiming: 'Despite a very high popularity and, according to many, among the greatest 8 months in Presidential History, ABC & NBC FAKE NEWS, two of the worst and most biased networks in history, give me 97% BAD STORIES.'

The 97% figure echoes earlier media studies highlighting negative press coverage of Trump, though no independent source has confirmed the statistic he now cites.

In a separate post, Trump doubled down: 'ABC and NBC FAKE NEWS, two of the absolute worst and most biased networks anywhere in the World.'

He labelled their journalism 'crooked' and damaging, accusing the networks of acting as 'an arm of the Democrat Party' and targeting conservatives with relentless negativity.

Trump Calls for Licenses to Be Revoked

Taking his attack further, Trump demanded that ABC and NBC lose their FCC licenses.

He wrote: 'IF THAT IS THE CASE, THEY ARE SIMPLY AN ARM OF THE DEMOCRAT PARTY AND SHOULD, ACCORDING TO MANY, HAVE THEIR LICENSES REVOKED BY THE FCC.'

The former president also argued that networks should pay 'Millions of Dollars a year in LICENSE FEES' for using what he described as 'the most valuable airwaves anywhere at anytime.' Trump ended his tirade with: 'Crooked journalism should not be rewarded, it should be terminated!!!'

Do ABC and NBC Hold FCC Licenses?

Contrary to Trump's claims, ABC and NBC do not themselves hold FCC broadcast licenses, according to Fox News. National networks supply programming to local affiliate stations, which are the ones legally licensed to operate through FCC-assigned frequencies.

The FCC's authority covers local broadcast stations, not national networks, and its licensing rules primarily focus on technical standards and public interest obligations. Cable providers and streaming platforms, meanwhile, follow separate regulations set by Congress.

Why Revoking Licenses Would Be Unconstitutional

If Trump's calls were acted on, they would almost certainly face immediate legal challenges. Courts have repeatedly rejected similar attempts on First Amendment grounds, which protect free speech and press freedom.

Even media outlets with clear political slants are constitutionally protected. The FCC cannot revoke licenses for editorial bias or viewpoint discrimination, making Trump's proposal effectively impossible.

Trump's Defamation Win Against ABC

Trump has, however, already landed a courtroom victory against ABC News. In 2024, anchor George Stephanopoulos falsely claimed on air that Trump was 'liable for rape' during an interview with Republican Congresswoman Nancy Mace.

ABC settled the case in December 2024, agreeing to pay $15 million (£11.09 million) to support a planned Trump presidential library or museum, plus $1 million (£740,000) in legal costs. The network also issued an editor's note expressing regret.