‘No expansion of fake news networks’—Trump intensifies attack on media, says TV channels working for radical left

US President Donald Trump opposes the expansion of television networks, specifically targeting ABC and NBC, which he claims are biased towards the left. He argues that they should be seen as part of a campaign for the Radical Left and calls for their reduction.

In a Truth Social post on Sunday, Trump said, “If this would also allow the Radical Left Networks to ‘enlarge,’ I would not be happy. ABC & NBC, in particular, are a disaster - A VIRTUAL ARM OF THE DEMOCRAT PARTY,” He added, “They should be viewed as an illegal campaign to the Radical Left. NO EXPANSION OF THE FAKE NEWS NETWORKS. If anything, make them SMALLER!”

The US President's post comes in response to a Newsmax story reporting that Federal Communications Commission (FCC) head Brendan Carr is considering giving television networks a massive reach following a merger between Nexstar Media Group and Tegna Inc.

Trump's attack on media

Trump has intensified his longstanding attacks on the media, while his administration endeavours to restrict press access. Earlier, Carr threatened to revoke the broadcast licences of ABC-owned local stations and their affiliates after late-night comedian Jimmy Kimmel commented on conservative influencer Charlie Kirk’s death, reported Bloomberg News.

Last week, Trump urged the FCC to revoke station licenses used by ABC affiliates after a reporter questioned him on his handling of files related to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.

“I think the license should be taken away from ABC, because your news is so fake and it’s so wrong,” Trump said during an Oval Office meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. “We have a great commissioner, chairman, who should look at that.”

His post also comes as Warner Bros Discovery Inc considers a potential sale. Such a sale is likely to cause more turmoil, at least in the short term, for a company facing its fourth owner in seven years, the report said.

In 2018, AT&T Inc. acquired Time Warner Inc. from its shareholders to expand its presence in film and TV production. Four years later, WarnerMedia was merged into Discovery Inc., forming the present entity.

As consumers and advertisers move from traditional TV to streaming, Warner Bros. has faced difficulties under its current leadership. However, recent takeover rumours have caused the shares to nearly triple in value over the last two months. The company's market capitalisation is now approximately $57 billion, with around $33.5 billion in debt.