As we noted earlier this week in a post about Joy Behar's election denialism, The View falls under the purview of ABC News, not entertainment. The same applies to most of the late-night talk shows. The FCC considers them news programs. And as a news program, the Trump administration is investigating The View for violating the equal time rule for political candidates.
Reuters reports:
Disney-owned ABC said on Friday that the Trump administration's efforts to declare its daytime talk show "The View" subject to federal equal time rules for political candidates are invalid and threaten the network's free speech rights.
In February, the Federal Communications Commission said it was investigating whether "The View" violated equal time rules for interviews with political candidates, after an appearance by Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico. The FCC said daytime and late-night TV talk shows are no longer considered "bona fide" news programs exempt from the rule.
Brian Tyler Cohen, of the No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen podcast, put it this way:
ABC just sued Trump in a major lawsuit for violating their First Amendment rights. pic.twitter.com/aJICNN9tP7
— No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen (@NoLieWithBTC) May 8, 2026
Trump has already settled with the network for $16 million to avoid a defamation lawsuit.
Democrats holding on to a single thread. 🤣🤣🤣
— RigoStaRR (@RigoIrizarry) May 8, 2026
What has ABC been prevented from airing?
— Sue (@SusanK1717) May 8, 2026
Recommended
This won’t end well for ABC. 😂😂😂
— WWEleven Vet (@BrianDees) May 9, 2026
They didn’t sue Trump dipshit.
— Chirpy (@EricOHaraLA) May 9, 2026
Never heard of you, but "No Lie" has to be sarcasm, right? No one is suing Trump. You're a charlatan shit poster.
— Sherry Auxier Errera (@sherryerrera) May 8, 2026
...bro stop with the lying good lord. Challenging the FCC isn't suing Trump, so desperate.
— Carey (@SeriusBall) May 9, 2026
Bring in the FCC to take away their license watch those bitches hide
— Chris (@FFpupP1) May 9, 2026
I think this will backfire on ABC. They have a negative bias that is both undeniable and measurable.
— James Friend (@JFriend78868) May 9, 2026
See you at discovery.
— Bobby R (@roadsterbobby) May 8, 2026
Doesn’t mean shit
— Ray (@Rayray6582) May 9, 2026
LOL! Will you be this excited when it's thrown out?
— Admiral Quality (@AdmiralQuality) May 8, 2026
😂😂😂😂 ABC is desperate to hang on to relevancy
— Undefeated X Warrior (@DG802023) May 9, 2026
No lie: ABC is not suing President Trump. ABC said in a filing with the FCC, made on behalf of one network affiliate in Houston, that regulators had a “chilling effect” on free speech by trying to punish political content they disagreed with. When has there ever been a "chilling effect" on the squawking harpies of The View? It's long past time the FCC has made exceptions for these so-called "bona fide" news programs.
This is no different than Jimmy Kimmel's stunt of interviewing candidate James Talarico during campaign season and then claiming the Trump administration forced them to pull the segment. No, Kimmel and the Democratic Party just didn't want to have to give equal airtime to Jasmine Crockett.
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