Trump Threatens To Strip Broadcast Licenses Of NBC, ABC Over News Coverage

US President Donald Trump berated NBC and ABC as “two of the worst and most biased networks in history,” adding he'd support the FCC in revoking licenses to their television stations.

The networks “give me 97 per cent BAD STORIES,” Trump said in a Truth Social post on Sunday, “despite a very high popularity and, according to many, among the greatest 8 months in Presidential History.”

“IF THAT IS THE CASE, THEY ARE SIMPLY AN ARM OF THE DEMOCRAT PARTY AND SHOULD, ACCORDING TO MANY, HAVE THEIR LICENSES REVOKED BY THE FCC,” he added. “I would be totally in favor of that because they are so biased and untruthful, an actual threat to our Democracy!!!”

The FCC issues licenses to owners of television stations, which must be periodically renewed.

The comments come after Trump engaged in high-profile legal tussles with major news outlets. He settled a lawsuit against CBS News in July for $16 million shortly before the Federal Communications Commission approved a merger between CBS parent Paramount Global and Skydance Media. Trump also reached a $15 million settlement with ABC over allegations of defamation.

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, a Republican, has opened investigations into Comcast's diversity, equity and inclusion programs and NBC's relationships with its local broadcast affiliates.

NBC is owned by NBCUniversal, a Comcast company. ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company.

Trump also took aim at NBC during his first term. In 2017, he questioned whether FCC licenses should be taken from NBC television stations after the network published a story saying he had called for a bigger US nuclear arsenal, something he denied saying.

A recent poll by The Economist/YouGov found that 56 per cent of respondents strongly or somewhat disapprove of Trump's handling of his presidency, while 40 per cent strongly or somewhat approve.

The Aug. 15-18 poll of 1,568 Americans had a margin of error of about 3.5 per cent.