President Donald Trump has intensified his long-running conflict with major U.S. media outlets, threatening to seek termination of broadcast licenses for networks he claims portray him and his allies unfairly.
In an early Wednesday post on Truth Social, Trump questioned whether networks that deliver “almost 100% negative” coverage of him, the MAGA movement, and the Republican Party should retain their licenses. “Shouldn’t their very valuable Broadcast Licenses be terminated? I say, YES!” he wrote.
The remarks underscore Trump’s increasingly confrontational stance toward mainstream media, late-night television hosts, and journalists—whom he has repeatedly accused of political bias. Over recent months, the president has paired sharp rhetoric with legal action, signaling a broader pressure campaign against outlets he views as hostile.
Why It Matters
Trump’s comments arrive amid heightened scrutiny of press freedom in the United States. Civicus, a nonprofit that monitors civic space in 198 countries, recently downgraded the U.S. civic freedom rating from “narrowed” to “obstructed,” citing growing political pressure on the media among its concerns. Trump’s latest statements have renewed debate over the boundaries of executive power and the independence of broadcasters.
The president has also escalated his disputes through the courts. Earlier this month, he filed a $10 billion lawsuit against the BBC over the editing of one of his speeches for a 2021 Panorama documentary. In October, he refiled a $15 billion defamation lawsuit against The New York Times and three of its reporters.
What to Know
Trump has previously floated the idea of revoking licenses following disputes with television personalities. He renewed those claims after ABC suspended late-night host Jimmy Kimmel over comments related to the man accused of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Kimmel said Trump supporters had attempted to portray the suspect as “anything other than one of them.”
Speaking aboard Air Force One in September, Trump argued that networks were overwhelmingly opposed to him despite his electoral success. “I read someplace that the networks were 97 percent against me,” he said. “They give me only bad publicity… I would think maybe their license should be taken away.”
At the time, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr responded that broadcasters are accountable to the public interest and suggested that those unwilling to meet that standard could surrender their licenses.
Escalating Rhetoric Toward Late-Night Hosts
In a separate Truth Social post on Wednesday, Trump targeted CBS late-night host Stephen Colbert, calling him a “pathetic trainwreck” and mocking his ratings. The president has also broadly criticized late-night programming across major networks, claiming high salaries, low ratings, and a lack of talent among hosts.
Trump has reserved particular criticism for The New York Times, which he has labeled a “serious threat to the National Security of our Nation,” accusing the paper of publishing what he calls false and misleading reporting.
What Happens Next
While Trump has suggested revoking broadcast licenses from major networks such as ABC, NBC, and CBS, the FCC does not have the authority to directly cancel licenses held by national networks. The commission can, however, revoke or deny renewals for licenses held by local stations that operate as network affiliates.
As the president continues to clash with the press, legal experts and media advocates say the outcome will hinge on regulatory limits, First Amendment protections, and how aggressively federal agencies choose to interpret their oversight powers.
Install our app using add to home screen in browser. In phone/ipad browser, click on share icon in browser and select add to home screen in ios devices or add to dock in macos
