Overview

• Posting late Sunday, the president accused ABC and NBC of giving him “97% bad stories,” called them a “threat to our democracy,” and said he would support pulling their broadcast licenses.
• Trump also demanded that the networks pay “millions” in license fees, though national networks are not licensed by the FCC and regulatory fees are tied to local stations and set by law.
• Under FCC rules, licenses attach to local broadcast affiliates rather than the national networks, and any attempt to yank licenses over alleged bias would face significant constitutional challenges.
• FCC Chair Brendan Carr has reopened probes and signaled a willingness to reassess broadcasters’ public‑interest obligations, adding regulatory pressure even as immediate license revocations remain unlikely.
• The push follows Trump’s recent media wins, including a $16 million settlement with CBS and a $15 million deal with ABC, and comes as scholars warn of threats to press freedom; no station renewals are due until 2028 and no revocation actions have been announced.