ABC’s Fight With Trump’s FCC Hits Federal Court — Judge Orders More Briefing– wltreport.com
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EXCERPT:
ABC’s legal fight with President Trump’s Federal Communications Commission reached a federal courtroom Tuesday, and neither side walked out with an immediate victory.
Instead, U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan ordered more briefing after a two-hour hearing over the FCC’s unusual decision to accelerate license-renewal proceedings for eight ABC-owned television stations.
ABC says the early reviews are retaliation for programming and editorial decisions the Trump administration dislikes. Government lawyers say the network is trying to bring the case in the wrong court before the agency has taken a final action.
That clash leaves a serious question hanging over the case: is this a First Amendment emergency, or an attempt to stop a regulatory process before it has actually produced an order?
ABC and Trump’s FCC battle in federal court over issues of free speech and jurisdiction https://t.co/sPsYysj4s3
— O.C. Register (@ocregister) October 6, 2026
The federal docket history shows that ABC, Disney, and the eight station licensees filed suit in August against the FCC and Chairman Brendan Carr.
The companies asked for declaratory and injunctive relief and moved for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction. Their goal is to stop the FCC from taking further action in the accelerated proceedings while the constitutional case is litigated.