Disney sues over Trump's 'extraordinary assault on free speech'

Disney has sued the Trump administration's media regulator over what the entertainment giant described as an "extraordinary assault on free speech".

It comes after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) forced the company to apply for early licence reviews for its ABC TV stations amid pressure from the president for it to sack talk show host Jimmy Kimmel.

Donald Trump had accused Kimmel of making a "descpicable call to violence" after he made a joke about his wife, Melania, having a "glow like an expectant widow". It came days before a gunman opened fire at the White House Correspondents Association dinner, which was attended by the Trumps.

Kimmel was briefly taken off-air last year over comments about the killing of Trump supporter Charlie Kirk, but no action was taken over the gag about the first lady.

In a lawsuit filed in a Washington court on Tuesday, Disney said the FCC was seeking to coerce and punish a network "that refuses to bow to the administration's demands".

The lawsuit accuses the Trump administration of threatening the company's free speech rights, protected under the constitution, because of "programming and editorial decisions the administration dislikes".

Mr Trump has repeatedly urged broadcasters to drop programmes and personalities he dislikes. He has repeatedly targeted Disney-owned ABC, including for refusing to show a prime-time speech on claims of election fraud.

'Disney seems a little nervous'

The FCC has insisted its reviews of ABC's licences, which were due to start in October 2028, had been brought forward because of a year-long discrimination investigation into Disney's diversity policies.

FCC chair Brendan Carr, who was appointed by Mr Trump, has denied it was because of the Kimmel backlash.

He told Reuters the agency was yet to make a decision about whether to begin the process of revoking the licences.

"Disney seems to be a little nervous about what the record's showing," he said.

The court case will pose a key test of the free speech rights of media outlets.

(c) Sky News 2026: Disney sues over Trump's 'extraordinary assault on free speech'