ABC accuses Trump administration of violating free speech rights

BREAKING NEWSmay. 8, 2026, 5:26 PM UTCMediaMediaABC accuses Trump administration of violating free speech rightsThe network accused the federal government of creating a “chilling effect on First Amendment-protected free speech” with a regulatory action focused on “The View.”Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00Marlon Wayans is a guest on "The View" on Sept. 17, 2025.Lou Rocco / ABC via Getty Images fileShareAdd NBC News to GoogleBy Daniel ArkinABC this week accused the Trump administration of violating its free speech rights with a regulatory action focused on the talk show “The View,” according to a filing submitted to the Federal Communications Commission.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.In the filing, ABC blasted the federal government for creating a “chilling effect” on First Amendment freedoms with an investigation of whether “The View” broke a requirement that broadcast stations give equal time to political candidates for the same office.The FCC, which regulates the broadcast airwaves, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on ABC’s filing, which was made public Friday. Disney, which owns ABC, did not immediately respond to a request for additional comment. The filing is Disney’s most pointed legal salvo against the Trump administration since the president returned to the White House last year and began sharply criticizing American broadcast networks over their on-air content. In February, the FCC said it was looking into whether “The View” violated equal-time rules after an appearance by James Talarico, who was then running for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate in Texas. (He went on to win the primary.)“The FCC has an enforcement action underway on that,” FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, who was appointed by President Donald Trump, told reporters at the time.ABC fired back in its filing this week, insisting that “The View” airs under an exemption to...