Trump Threatens to Revoke ABC's License Over Reporter's 'Attitude' and Questions on Epstein Files

US President Donald Trump has reignited controversy after berating an ABC News reporter during a high-profile Oval Office meeting. His outburst, prompted by a question about the Jeffrey Epstein files, culminated in threats to revoke the network's broadcast licence over what he described as 'attitude' and 'fake news'.

Trump Lashes Out at ABC Reporter

During an Oval Office meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on 18 November 2025, US President Donald Trump lashed out at ABC News chief White House correspondent Mary Bruce after she asked him about the Jeffrey Epstein files.

In the video, Trump is seen speaking with the Crown Prince when Bruce called his attention and asked, 'Mr President, why wait for Congress to release the Epstein files? Why not just do it now?'

Trump's reaction was immediate and visibly displeased. 'You know, it's not the question that I mind. It's your attitude. I think you are a terrible reporter,' he said.

'It's the way you ask these questions. You start off with a man who's highly respected, asking him a horrible, insubordinate, and just a terrible question. And you could even ask that same exact question nicely,' Trump added.

He then went further, targeting ABC as a network. 'I think the license should be taken away from ABC because your news is so fake and it's so wrong,' Trump said.

He continued, 'We have a great commissioner, the chairman, who should look at that,' referring to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair Brendan Carr, whom Trump appointed in January to oversee broadcast licences.

The President also described ABC as a 'crappy company' and 'one of the perpetrators' spreading hoaxes, calling their reporting 'fake'.

FCC Has Already Warned ABC in September

ABC's broadcast licences are held by affiliates of Walt Disney, which adds another layer to the controversy. This was not the first time Carr had threatened ABC's licence.

In September 2025, he warned the network after late-night host Jimmy Kimmel made comments about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

'We can do this the easy way or the hard way,' Carr said on a podcast. 'These companies can find ways to change conduct, to take action, frankly, on Kimmel, or, you know, there's going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.'

Following Carr's warning, ABC briefly suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live!, though the show returned roughly a week later after public backlash.

Trump's Answer to the Epstein File Question

Trump also addressed Bruce's question, 'As far as the Epstein files ... I have nothing to do with Jeffrey Epstein. I threw him out of my club many years ago because I thought he was a sick pervert.'

Despite this, Trump has repeatedly dismissed the Epstein matter as a 'hoax' created by Democrats, even as prominent figures aligned with his Make America Great Again movement have publicly called for the release of the files.

On the same day as his meeting with the Saudi Crown Prince, the House of Representatives passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act with a resounding 427‑1 vote in favour of releasing the documents.

Before the legislation was passed, only four Republicans had signed a petition to force a vote. Trump later dropped his opposition to the measure, and the vote ultimately received nearly unanimous support from Republican members of Congress.