The FCC formally ordered Disney's ABC to seek early broadcast license renewals for eight stations on April 28, 2026—one day after Trump and Melania Trump publicly called for Kimmel's firing over a joke calling her an 'expectant widow.' The FCC cited diversity and inclusion policies as the stated reason for the unusual order, but NBC News reported it was fast-tracked in direct response to the joke, and Democratic Commissioner Anna Gomez called it 'the most egregious action this FCC has taken in violation of the First Amendment.' The move is legally extraordinary—normally licenses aren't up for renewal until 2028-2031, and stripping broadcast licenses is described as nearly impossible—but it signals the Trump administration is using regulatory authority to punish media criticism.