Disney and ABC filed in federal court in Washington seeking a temporary restraining order to stop the early reviews.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/18/business/media/abc-fcc-lawsuit-broadcast-licenses.html
The eight owned stations face possible hearing or denial that could take them off the air.
Timing followed public calls to fire Jimmy Kimmel and complaints about not airing a presidential address.
FCC chair ordered the reviews in April. Licenses were not due until 2028 or later.
Rosie O’Donnell opened her guest hosting stint with Trump jokes while the legal fight heated up.
FCC kept pushing reviews of ABC programming including The View. Public statements from the administration kept linking critical jokes to possible license action. Other networks watched the early renewal order as a possible template for pressure.