Former President Donald Trump has declared that television broadcast licenses should be revoked if network news programs and late-night shows are "almost 100% negative" about him, the MAGA movement, and the Republican Party.
In an early morning post on Truth Social this Wednesday, he questioned, "If network news and their late-night shows are almost entirely negative... shouldn't their valuable broadcast licenses be rescinded? I say yes!"
The statement came shortly after Trump criticized Stephen Colbert, host of The Late Show, calling him a "pathetic disaster" lacking talent, and noted that the show is set to end in May 2026.
In a separate post, Trump extended his disapproval to late-night hosts in general, inquiring which network—CBS, ABC, or NBC—had the "worst" late-night host, adding that they all share "high salaries," "lack of talent," and "very low ratings," according to him.
Trump has consistently voiced his dissatisfaction with late-night hosts and earlier this year suggested pulling licenses from networks with negative coverage.
In September, he asserted that the decision of revoking licenses should be a responsibility of Brendan Carr, Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
The FCC issues eight-year licenses to individual broadcasting stations, many of which are owned by networks.
Carr recently testified before the Senate, stating that the FCC "is not formally an independent agency," with reports indicating that the term "independent" was removed from the agency's website during his testimony.
CBS notes that the FCC's own website states that broadcasters, not the FCC or other government agencies, are responsible for choosing the content they air, and both the First Amendment and the Communications Act expressly forbid the Commission from censoring broadcast material.
The show Jimmy Kimmel Live! on ABC was suspended in September after a monologue in which Kimmel commented on the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
The suspension followed harsh criticism from the FCC chairman directed at Kimmel, along with threats to "take action" against Disney and ABC.
During his segment, Kimmel speculated on the possibility that the alleged killer, Tyler Robinson, was a Republican and Trump supporter, accusing the "MAGA crowd" of trying to portray him as anything but "one of their own" to gain political advantage.
Carr described Kimmel's remarks as "the most sickening behavior possible" and suggested that the FCC might consider reviewing or revoking ABC affiliates' licenses as a punitive measure.
Trump's Challenge to Broadcast Licenses
Why does Trump want to revoke TV broadcast licenses?
Trump believes that network news and late-night shows are overly negative about him, the MAGA movement, and the Republican Party, which he argues justifies revoking their broadcast licenses.
What role does the FCC play in broadcast licensing?
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) grants eight-year licenses to individual broadcasting stations, many owned by networks. It is responsible for overseeing these licenses but cannot censor broadcast content due to First Amendment protections.
Has Trump targeted any specific media personalities?
Yes, Trump has specifically criticized Stephen Colbert of The Late Show and Jimmy Kimmel of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, calling out their shows for what he perceives as negative and biased coverage.