Trump’s FCC Threatens ‘The View’ After Kimmel’s Suspension Shakes Hollywood
On September 17, 2025, Disney and ABC made a shocking announcement: they would immediately suspend Jimmy Kimmel Live! after Jimmy Kimmel made critical remarks about former President Donald Trump. The decision sent waves through Hollywood and beyond, as Kimmel’s comments sparked a fierce debate over free speech and the role of corporate entities in influencing political discourse.
In the wake of Kimmel’s suspension, an unusual development unfolded—an official from the Trump Administration hinted at further repercussions for ABC and its programming.
Related: Jimmy Kimmel’s Return to TV Comes with a Shocking Set of Demands
The move to pull Kimmel off the air was widely condemned, with industry leaders such as the Producers Guild, Writers Guild, and Screen Actors Guild all voicing their displeasure. Comedians like Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart, who have long been vocal critics of Donald Trump, joined in the outcry, as did former President Barack Obama.
The uproar centered around the question of whether Disney was bowing to political pressure, and what that meant for the future of late-night television.
In response to Kimmel’s suspension, a large crowd gathered outside The Walt Disney Company’s studio lot in Burbank, California. They held signs that called out the Mouse House for not standing up for free speech.
Related: The Business Behind Disney Shelving Jimmy Kimmel
Prior to Disney’s decision, the issue took an even more dramatic turn when Brendan Carr, the head of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), made comments on a conservative podcast regarding Kimmel’s statements. Carr issued a warning that sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry.
“This is a very, very serious issue right now for Disney. We can do this the easy way or the hard way. These companies can find ways to take action on Kimmel, or there is going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.”
The day after the suspension, Carr appeared on The Scott Jennings Radio Show and implied that the FCC might turn its attention to The View, another ABC program with strong political opinions.
The show, hosted by Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, and others, has long been known for its critiques of Trump, and Carr suggested that its political content might put it in the crosshairs as well.
When you look at these other TV shows, what’s interesting is the FCC does have a rule called the equal opportunity rule. But there’s an exception to that rule called the bona fide news exception, which means if you are a bona fide news program, you don’t have to abide by the equal opportunity rule.
And over the years, the FCC has developed a body of case law on that and has suggested that most of these late night shows, other than SNL, are bona fide news programs. And potentially I would assume you can make the argument that The View is a bona fide news show, but I’m not so sure about that, and I think it’s worthwhile to have the FCC look into whether The View and some of the programs that you have still qualify as bona fide news programs and therefore exempt from the equal opportunity regime that Congress has put in place.
Related: Trump Slams ‘The View,’ Suggests Network Could Pull the Plug Over Recent Comments
Despite Carr’s veiled threats, it remains unclear how much weight the FCC’s actions will carry against the show. The Trump Administration has long been at odds with The View, which has hosted fierce discussions about Trump’s policies and actions.
In the past, President Trump himself has repeatedly criticized the show, making headlines over his battles with its hosts.
Earlier this year, reports surfaced that Bob Iger, the former CEO of Disney, and ABC News President Almin Karamehmedovic had asked the hosts to tone down their rhetoric about Trump. The hosts resisted, and the issue was dropped.
Related: ‘The View’ Star Says Show Has Too Much “Finger Pointing”
As of 2025, The View remains the number one daytime talk show, and its hosts have continued to speak their minds on hot-button issues. However, with the increased scrutiny from the FCC, the show’s future could be in jeopardy. Bob Iger’s previous attempts to rein in outspoken opinions from The View hosts make it clear that ABC may not be as supportive as the hosts would like.
In fact, just one day after Kimmel’s suspension, the hosts of The View conspicuously avoided discussing the incident on the show. Speculation about the reasons for this silence quickly spread, with many assuming that ABC was attempting to distance itself from any further controversy.
Do you think Disney and ABC need to stand up to Brendan Carr and the FCC if the department tries to go after The View? Should Disney fight the threats and possibly take the Trump administration to court? Or should they prioritize their long-standing corporate interests? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
While I agree that Freedom of Speech is a valuable attribute in American Society, yelling FIRE in a crowded theater is not. And just because someone is permitted to say something, does not mean that they should say something.
Now I have noted a distinct effort to reference the PRESENT President of the United States as the FORMER President of the United States. While this is an accurate statement about Barack Obama and Jimmy Carter, it is NOT an accurate statement about the sitting President of the United States. No second term President has ever been referred to as the FORMER President. Although technically correct, it is not actually correct. I would assume the editors of these pages would note and correct such errors in the future. I have ignored this in the past as being just a mistake, but no longer. It shows an obvious disrespect to the President of the United States.
Michael Dory,