Disney Takes a Defiant Stance Against Trump Administration’s FCC Pressure Under Josh D’Amaro

Jimmy Kimmel, host of ABC’s embattled late-night show, closed Disney’s annual upfronts presentation to advertisers on Tuesday with a pointed remark that encapsulated his tumultuous year under the Trump administration’s scrutiny. Addressing the crowd at Manhattan’s Javits Center, Kimmel quipped,

“I didn’t think I’d ever see you guys again either.”

Last year, under then-CEO Bob Iger’s leadership, Kimmel was temporarily pulled off the air following Donald Trump’s public calls for his firing. Now, two months into Josh D’Amaro’s tenure as Disney CEO, the company is adopting a far more combative stance. This shift comes amid renewed demands from the White House to fire Kimmel and threats from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) targeting ABC’s The View.

Disney’s recent 52-page filing with the FCC signals a dramatic departure from its prior conciliatory approach under Iger. That approach included a $16 million settlement in a defamation case—despite experts believing Disney could have prevailed—and a temporary suspension of Kimmel’s show after FCC Chairman Brendan Carr threatened the company. The new filing directly challenges the FCC’s yearlong campaign against Disney, which culminated in a demand for eight local ABC affiliates to file for early renewal of their broadcast licenses. This final action appears to have been the catalyst for Disney’s aggressive response.

Legal Experts and FCC Commissioners Weigh In

Bob Corn-Revere, chief counsel for the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, told TheWrap,

“Chairman [Carr] has given them no choice but to push back. It’s one thing to try and jawbone your way into modifying a licensee’s behavior. But once you start taking various regulatory actions, like the investigation over ‘The View,’ or like the designation of earlier license renewal, then it’s sort of an action-forcing event.”

Anna Gomez, the sole Democratic FCC commissioner, echoed this sentiment in an interview with TheWrap. She stated that Disney has

“learned a lesson that other companies and organizations also are learning, and that is that capitulation does not buy protection. Instead, it invites more harassment.”

“This time, Disney has chosen courage over capitulation, and they will win in any challenge that they bring against this administration’s attempts to silence it.”

In a rare show of support, Gomez sent a letter to D’Amaro on Monday, commending the company for rebuffing

“a sustained, coordinated campaign of censorship and control.”

“The fight ahead may not be easy, but the law, the facts, and the public are on your side. This is a fight worth having, and one that I am confident you will win.”

Kimmel and Late-Night Allies Push Back

Kimmel himself has adopted a more confrontational tone, criticizing CBS’ decision to cancel The Late Show—seen by many as a concession to the Trump administration. During a joint appearance with Stephen Colbert and fellow late-night hosts on Tuesday, Kimmel remarked,

“When I got knocked off the air for a few days, people canceled Disney+. Why aren’t you people canceling Paramount+? Because you didn’t.”