President Donald Trump threatened to revoke the broadcast licenses of ABC and NBC on July 16, 2026, after the networks opted not to interrupt their regular programming to air his speech on election integrity. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has been investigating broadcasters for potential violations of public interest standards, which could lead to significant business consequences.
In his remarks, Trump criticized NBC and ABC for not covering the speech, stating, "Fraud like this should mean a revocation of their licenses." The White House's rapid response account also criticized CNN for not airing the address live. CBS and Fox were the only major networks to preempt their scheduled programming for the speech, with Fox airing it in full and CBS broadcasting portions.
ABC, NBC, and CNN did not air the speech live on traditional television but provided coverage on their streaming platforms. The cautious approach by the networks may stem from the speech's content, where Trump claimed that the Chinese government attempted to undermine the 2020 election. Networks have been hesitant to broadcast unverified claims regarding the election's validity, particularly following Fox News' substantial defamation settlement related to similar claims.
The Trump administration has intensified scrutiny on broadcast networks through FCC investigations led by Chairman Brendan Carr, who is aligned with Trump. Carr has initiated an investigation into ABC's "The View" concerning compliance with federal broadcast regulations, as ABC faces a license renewal challenge with the FCC.
CBS's decision to air parts of the speech live is significant, as broadcasters typically coordinate their decisions on airing presidential addresses. This situation mirrors previous instances where networks aligned on whether to air President Biden's addresses on democracy and other major events during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, CBS's parent company, Paramount Skydance, has been seeking regulatory approval for its merger with Warner Bros. Discovery, which is currently facing legal challenges from state attorneys general and awaits approvals from the U.K. and the European Union.