The Walt Disney Company and its ABC television unit have sued the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), accusing the agency of using its regulatory authority to retaliate against the network over programming and journalism opposed by President Donald Trump.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Washington, D.C., seeks to block an early FCC review of the broadcast licenses held by eight Disney-owned ABC stations. Disney argues that the review is part of a “retaliatory campaign” targeting ABC and says the FCC’s actions threaten First Amendment protections.

The dispute follows several legal clashes between the Trump administration and media organizations or journalists. Here are six notable cases highlighted in the material:

1. CNN and Jim Acosta: Press Pass Restored

In November 2018, CNN and White House correspondent Jim Acosta sued after the Trump administration revoked Acosta’s White House hard pass following a contentious news conference.

U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly ordered the White House to restore Acosta’s credential, finding that he had not received adequate notice or an opportunity to contest the decision.

CNN later dropped the case after the White House restored Acosta’s access and established new press conference rules.

2. Playboy Reporter Brian Karem: Suspension Blocked

The Trump White House suspended Playboy reporter Brian Karem’s press pass for 30 days following a heated exchange with former Trump aide Sebastian Gorka at a Rose Garden event in 2019.

A federal district court blocked the suspension, and in June 2020, a unanimous panel of the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit upheld that decision.

The appeals court found that the White House had not provided standards explaining what conduct could lead to a reporter’s suspension.

3. The New York Times: Tax Records Lawsuit Dismissed

In 2021, Trump sued The New York Times, three reporters and his niece Mary Trump over reporting on his finances and tax records.

A New York judge dismissed the claims against The Times and its journalists in May 2023, ruling that the claims failed as a matter of constitutional law and that ordinary newsgathering was protected First Amendment activity.

Trump was subsequently ordered to pay $392,638.69 toward the defendants’ legal fees.

4. CNN’s ‘Big Lie’ Case: Lawsuit Dismissed

Trump sued CNN in 2022, alleging that the network defamed him by using the term “the Big Lie” while discussing his challenges to the 2020 election result.

A federal district judge dismissed the lawsuit, and the US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit affirmed the dismissal in November 2025.

The courts concluded that the challenged language did not support Trump’s defamation claims.

5. Associated Press: Access Restored

The Associated Press sued the Trump administration in February 2025 after the White House restricted its access to events in smaller spaces, including the Oval Office and Air Force One.

The action followed the AP’s decision not to change its style guidance to refer exclusively to the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America.”

In April 2025, a federal judge ordered the White House to restore the AP’s full access, ruling that the government could not punish a news organization because of its viewpoint.

The administration appealed, and the district court’s order was stayed while litigation continued, making the result a preliminary victory.

6. Voice of America: Return to Work Ordered

Journalists, unions and press-freedom organizations challenged the Trump administration’s attempt to dismantle Voice of America.

A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction in April 2025 directing the administration to restore VOA and certain related broadcasting networks.

In March 2026, a court ordered VOA employees to return to work and broadcasting operations to resume after finding that Kari Lake had been unlawfully appointed as acting head of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, according to Reporters Without Borders.

Disney argues that the FCC began reviewing ABC’s broadcast licenses years before they were due for renewal and that the timing shows an attempt to pressure the network over its programming and editorial decisions.

The FCC has rejected the claim, saying broadcasters have a legal obligation to operate in the public interest and that it has been examining allegations that Disney engaged in illegal DEI discrimination for more than a year.

Disney is asking the court to halt the FCC review on First Amendment grounds, setting up another major legal battle between the Trump administration and a major media organization.