DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin criticizes ABC and NBC for not airing Trump's election speech

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin criticized ABC and NBC on July 17, 2026, for their decision not to air President Donald Trump's election-security address the previous night. Mullin accused the networks of withholding information from the public as the midterm elections approach. He questioned their commitment to informing the American people, stating, "How shameful is that?" and asked why they did not cover the speech. CBS aired part of the address before cutting away, while Fox News broadcasted the entire speech live. Mullin noted that the networks had previously reported on the security of the 2020 election but did not present Trump's claims regarding newly declassified intelligence about voting vulnerabilities. Trump also criticized the networks for their decision, suggesting they were part of a larger issue regarding election integrity. He called for regulatory consequences for the networks, stating that their actions could warrant a revocation of their licenses. The Federal Communications Commission is responsible for licensing individual broadcast stations, not national networks.