Trump threatened TV licenses after networks skipped live speech
Why it matters: Broadcasters have wide First Amendment protections, and the clash deepens a long-running fight over airing false election claims.
President Donald Trump threatened to revoke the licenses of major US broadcasters after ABC, NBC and CNN declined to carry his prime-time speech live on their main TV channels. ABC and NBC instead streamed the address on digital platforms, while CNN put a live feed on its website and a subscription service and said it would verify any new claims before broader coverage.
Trump used the speech to press allegations about election security and Chinese interference in the 2020 vote, despite a US intelligence assessment that found no evidence Beijing altered that election. The dispute underscored the networks' editorial discretion over presidential remarks and a broader standoff over whether to air statements likely to repeat debunked claims about the 2020 election.