Elaina Batista, Asst. Social Media Editor
Following the removal of ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’ from the air last week, President Donald Trump has suggested that the federal government may revoke the licenses of broadcast television networks that have a liberal bias and that do not serve the public interest.
With the assistance of Federal Communications Commissioner Brendan Carr, Trump and his administration would be able to revoke the licenses of broadcast organizations who give him “bad publicity.” ABC pulled Kimmel’s late night talk show off the air after he had made comments about the death of right-wing political activist Charlie Kirk.
Brendan Carr was named chairman of the FCC by President Trump in November, and since his appointment, has launched investigations into ABC, CBS and NBC News. The FCC regulates broadcasting, telecommunications and broadband.
On Wednesday, just hours before it was announced that Kimmel’s show would be put on hold indefinitely, Carr appeared on conservative commentator Benny Johnson’s podcast and stated, “They [ABC] have a license granted by us at the FCC that comes with it an obligation to operate in the public interest.”
While pulling Kimmel’s show, Carr cited that the show was in violation of the FCC’s public interest obligation. In exchange for a license to operate a broadcasting station, each radio or television program must operate its station in the “public interest, convenience, and necessity,” meaning that the programming must be responsive to the needs and issues of its local community, according to the Federal Communications Commission website.
In an interview with Reuters, Democratic FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, stated that the FCC lacks constitutional authority and the ability to control broadcasters for speech that the government disapproves of. Gomez continued by accusing Carr of unlawfully attempting to apply the “public interest” test.
In light of these latest developments, particularly among late-night shows, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, have called for Carr’s resignation. They stated that Carr has reneged in “the corrupt abuse of power.” In the statement, the Democratic leaders claimed that canceling performances or censoring artists was “an act of cowardice” that signaled a “war on the First Amendment.”
These conversations have raised questions about specific First Amendment protections. While some First Amendment experts, as discussed in an article from PBS News, believe that the law permits the FCC to control some aspects of broadcasters’ behavior, others contend that using its power to pressure private media companies to censor comedians’ speech on public issues goes beyond those bounds.
Looking at Jimmy Kimmel’s case specifically, Carr acted on his own without formal action by the five-member board of the FCC. The only member of the board to speak out against Carr’s action was Gomez.
On top of this news erupting into debate on the domestic side, Sir Keir Starmer and Donald Trump delivered a joint press conference during Trump’s second state visit to the U.K. last week, where they both continued to put an emphasis on their countries’ long and close ties. One of his “few disagreements” with Starmer, Trump admitted during the press conference, was the U.K.’s anticipated endorsement of a Palestinian state.
Trump has said that he is more than willing to implement “major sanctions on Russia” as soon as NATO nations cease purchasing oil from Russia, but neither party committed to any fresh penalties, despite agreeing that greater pressure is required to end the conflict in Ukraine.
These conflicts highlight the complex relationship between international diplomacy, media regulation and politics as they unfold both at home and abroad. The controversy surrounding broadcast licensing at home highlights long-standing conflicts between constitutional guarantees of free speech and governmental regulation. On the international scene, Trump’s meetings with Starmer are proof of continuous attempts to strike a balance between different policy priorities and allied cooperation.
*Editor’s Note: As of editing on 9/20/25, the information above was correct. As of 9/22/25, it has been announced that Jimmy Kimmel will be returning to air. This story is developing.