Just when you think any amount of dust has settled regarding Jimmy Kimmel Live! and the U.S. government, the air once again becomes thick with contention. First it was Melania and Donald Trump railing on Kimmel for his pre-weekend joke describing the First Lady as an “expectant widow,” followed by the POTUS calling on ABC to cut ties with the longtime host. Kimmel has since defended himself, but then the FCC got involved…but not really.
The FCC Is Ordering Disney To Go Through Early Licensing Renewals For ABC
Earlier on Tuesday, FCC chairman Brendan Carr — the same guy who previously attempted to enforce an ages-old equal partisan stipulation for late night and daytime TV — ordered Disney to go through the process of applying for broadcast licences for the eight ABC stations that the corporation owns, making May 28 the new deadline. For context, Variety reports that 2028 was previously the earliest year when the renewals were required, and some weren't necessary to get into until 2031.
The reason Carr and the FCC provided for the out-of-nowhere demand is tied to a probe into Disney and ABC over alleged violations of the government's revised take on DEI practices. But without citing any recent incidents that would have directly sparked such action being taken. Here's some of what the order stated:
Article continues belowABC has purported to respond to two FCC Letters of Inquiry (LOIs) as part of this investigation, the FCC has determined that additional actions are appropriate at this time. Specifically, FCC rules provide that whenever the FCC regards an application for a renewal of a license as essential to the proper conduct of an investigation, the FCC has the authority to call the broadcaster’s licenses in for early renewal.
Disney later shared a response statement that also avoided any mention of Jimmy Kimmel and his controversial comments, while sticking to the belief that the probe will come up empty.
ABC and its stations have a long record of operating in full compliance with FCC rules and serving their local communities with trusted news, emergency information, and public‑interest programming. We are confident that record demonstrates our continued qualifications as licensees under the Communications Act and the First Amendment and are prepared to show that through the appropriate legal channels. Our focus remains, as always, on serving viewers in the local communities where our stations operate.
The eight Disney-owned ABC stations are located across the country in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Philadelphia, Fresno, San Francisco and Raleigh-Durham.
FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez Tells Disney To "Stand Firm"
Despite working for the agency that set up the demands, FCC commissioner Anna Gomez called the licensing demands out as being motiviated by politics, with an aim to unlawfully silence a TV host. As she put it (via Deadline):
This is the most egregious action this FCC has taken in violation of the First Amendment to date. As part of its ongoing campaign of censorship and control, the White House called publicly for the silencing of a vocal critic, and this FCC has now answered that call.
Jimmy Kimmel previously caused ire for the President and others in 2025, when he was suspended over comments made in the aftermath of Charlie Kirk's shooting death. That move was widely condemned as being unconstitutional, and the FCC reportedly fielded more complaints about the suspension than the comment that caused it.
To that end, Gomez continued her condemnation and voiced the idea that the only response is to hold strong, saying:
This is an unprecedented and politically motivated attempt to interfere with how broadcasters operate, and this unlawful overreach will fail. This should be a lesson to media companies that no amount of capitulation to this Administration will buy them protection. The only choice is to stand up and stand firm in defense of the First Amendment.
It's possible that there will be another half-dozen updates in this story by the time the next episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live! hits the 2026 TV schedule, so stay tuned.
