ABC accuses Trump admin of violating free speech rights, major escalation of fight centering on The View
ABC is accusing the Trump administration of violating its First Amendment rights, a major escalation in a regulatory dispute centering on “The View.”The Walt Disney-owned broadcaster blasted Federal Commissions Commission Chairman Brendan Carr for what it called an “unprecedented” campaign to punish speech that regulators dislike, warning the agency’s actions could chill political coverage ahead of the 2026 midterms.“Some may dislike certain — or even most — of the viewpoints expressed on ‘The View’ or similar shows,” the filing stated.“Such dislike, however, cannot justify using regulatory processes to restrict those views.”The filing, submitted on behalf of Houston ABC affiliate KTRK-TV, could set up a major constitutional showdown over federal oversight of broadcast television.
it also marked a pivot from ABC’s stance when it settled a defamation lawsuit from President Trump for $15 million after he won the 2024 election.ABC enlisted conservative legal heavyweight Paul Clement, who served as solicitor general under former President George W.Bush, to sign its petition.Earlier this year, the FCC opened a probe into whether “The View” qualifies for the commission’s decades-old “bona fide news interview” exemption to equal-time rules that require broadcasters to give rival political candidates equivalent airtime.
A February interview with Senate candidate James Talarico, a Texas Dem, prompted the investigation.Carr has publicly questioned whether the daytime talk show — whose hosts frequently savage Trump — should continue to benefit from the equal-time rule exemption.According to ABC’s new filing, the agency demanded KTRK-TV submit a new petition proving the show still qualifies for the exemption and suggested the station may have violated equal-time rules by failing to file paperwork tied to Talarico’s appearance.The network contends that “The View” already secured formal exempt status from the FCC, in 2002, addin...