'Licence should be taken away': Trump warns TV broadcasters critical of him

President Donald Trump said that US television networks could face scrutiny of their broadcast licences if they air too much criticism of him, Bloomberg reported.

Speaking to journalists aboard Air Force One on Thursday, he said, “When you have a network and you have evening shows, and all they do is hit Trump, I would think maybe their licence should be taken away.”

Trump’s comments came shortly after ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show Jimmy Kimmel Live! indefinitely. The move followed backlash from conservatives over the late-night host’s remarks about the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. ABC acted after affiliates, including Nexstar Communications Group, announced they would stop airing the show.

Defending the suspension, Trump claimed Kimmel’s removal was more about ratings than free speech. “Jimmy Kimmel was fired because he had bad ratings more than anything else, and he said a horrible thing about a great gentleman known as Charlie Kirk,” Trump said at a joint press conference with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

FCC steps into the debate

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr indicated the agency could review whether broadcasters like ABC were serving the public interest. “We’re going to continue to hold these broadcasters accountable,” Carr said, as quoted by Bloomberg.

“And if broadcasters don’t like that simple solution, they can turn their licence in to the FCC," Carr added.

However, the FCC licences local stations, not national networks. That distinction means the agency does not have direct authority over shows like Kimmel’s.

What Kimmel actually said

In his Monday monologue, Kimmel criticised Donald Trump supporters for politicising Kirk’s killing. “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterise this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them,” Kimmel said.

The following night, he mocked Vice President JD Vance’s guest-hosting stint on Kirk’s podcast. Those remarks fueled conservative outrage and calls for ABC to act.

Broader battle with the media

Trump’s dispute with Kimmel comes amid a wider clash with news outlets. Earlier this week, he filed a $15 billion lawsuit against The New York Times, accusing it of bias. In 2024, ABC paid $15 million to settle a defamation case Trump brought over comments made by host George Stephanopoulos.

Critics say Trump’s repeated lawsuits and threats pose risks to free speech. Senate Democrats accused the FCC of being “weaponised” against broadcasters, while some Republicans urged caution. Senator Rand Paul, for instance, warned that the government should not interfere in media decisions, the news report said.

Who is Jimmy Kimmel?

Jimmy Kimmel, 57, is an Emmy-winning comedian and host of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, which launched in 2003. Known for celebrity interviews, comedy sketches, and political monologues, Kimmel has often used his platform to critique US politics, including Trump’s presidency.

In past monologues, he has mocked Trump’s policies and legal troubles. Commenting on Trump’s 2024 election win, he quipped, “We had a choice between a prosecutor and a criminal, and we chose the criminal.”