President Donald Trump sharply criticized NBC and ABC, calling them “two of the worst and most biased networks in history,” and suggested that their broadcast licenses could be revoked.
In a Truth Social post on Sunday, Trump claimed the networks “give me 97% BAD STORIES” despite what he described as “a very high popularity and, according to many, among the greatest 8 months in Presidential History.”
He went on to write, “IF THAT IS THE CASE, THEY ARE SIMPLY AN ARM OF THE DEMOCRAT PARTY AND SHOULD, ACCORDING TO MANY, HAVE THEIR LICENSES REVOKED BY THE FCC. I would be totally in favor of that because they are so biased and untruthful, an actual threat to our Democracy!!!”
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issues licenses to television station owners, which must be renewed periodically.
Trump’s comments come as he continues to battle major media outlets in court. In July, he settled a lawsuit against CBS News for $16 million, shortly before the FCC approved a merger between CBS parent Paramount Global and Skydance Media. He also reached a $15 million settlement with ABC over defamation claims.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, a Republican, has also opened investigations into Comcast’s diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, as well as NBC’s ties to its local broadcast affiliates. NBC is owned by NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, while ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company.
This isn’t the first time Trump has taken aim at NBC. In 2017, during his first term, he questioned whether the network’s station licenses should be revoked after it reported that he wanted to expand the U.S. nuclear arsenal—a claim he denied.
Meanwhile, a recent Economist/YouGov poll showed that 56% of Americans strongly or somewhat disapprove of Trump’s handling of his presidency, while 40% strongly or somewhat approve. The poll, conducted Aug. 15–18 among 1,568 adults, carries a margin of error of about 3.5%.
