Democratic FCC commissioner tells Disney it is the target of a 'censorship' campaign

FCC Commissioner Anna M. Gomez has accused the Trump administration and FCC leadership of running a coordinated campaign of censorship and control against Disney and ABC.

In a May 11 letter to Disney CEO Josh D'Amaro, Gomez warned that recent regulatory actions amount to pressure on the company and on broadcast independence.

What Gomez said

Reuters reported that Gomez tied the alleged campaign to an early review of licenses for Disney's eight ABC stations. NBC News later reported the same letter and said Gomez described Disney and ABC as targets of a sustained, coordinated campaign of censorship and control.

Gomez has previously used official FCC statements to criticize the agency’s actions, including an April 28 early-license-renewal order she called an unprecedented and politically motivated assault on the First Amendment.

Why this matters

The dispute comes amid renewed scrutiny of ABC programming, including The View, and wider concerns that broadcasters are facing political pressure through the FCC.

Because the FCC is an independent agency, any allegation that it is being used to punish media companies has broader implications for regulatory neutrality and editorial freedom.

What happens next

Disney has not yet publicly responded in the material reviewed, and it remains unclear whether Chairman Brendan Carr or the FCC leadership will answer the letter directly.

For now, the issue sits at the intersection of media regulation, political retaliation claims and First Amendment protections for broadcasters.