Trump suggests networks critical of him could lose licenses
Trump spoke to reporters aboard Air Force One on Thursday while returning from a state visit to the UK, suggesting that television networks critical of him could lose their broadcast licenses and sparking a national debate over the limits of free speech, Kazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
“That’s something that should be talked about for licensing. … All they do is hit Trump,” he said. “I would think maybe their license should be taken away. It will be up to Brendan Carr.”
Brendan Carr is the chair of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the U.S. agency that regulates broadcasters.
Trump’s remarks came after ABC announced the temporary suspension of late-night host Jimmy Kimmel following his comments on the recent murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Utah. On his show, Kimmel questioned efforts to distance the suspected gunman from right-wing groups and commented on Trump’s reaction to the death. Kimmel later expressed condolences to Kirk’s family.
Carr criticized Kimmel’s remarks and said broadcasters could face regulatory scrutiny if they did not address such conduct. Legal experts note that U.S. free speech protections under the First Amendment make any attempt to revoke broadcast licenses highly controversial.
Earlier, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said authorities should cancel or deny visas to individuals who publicly celebrated Kirk’s killing.