The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has ordered an early review of Disney's television broadcast licenses, just days after President Donald Trump called for the firing of late-night host Jimmy Kimmel. The move is seen as a direct response to political pressure from the White House.

Trump had urged ABC, owned by Disney, to pull Kimmel's show after the comedian joked that Melania Trump had the glow of an "expectant widow". The remark came days before a gunman opened fire at a gala attended by the Trumps. The suspect, 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen, is now charged with attempting to assassinate the president.

The FCC order directs Disney to file license renewal applications for all its eight TV stations within 30 days. The ABC station licenses were not scheduled for renewal until 2028. The review could potentially lead to revocation of the licenses, an action not taken in over 40 years, according to Reuters.

Democratic FCC Commissioner Anna M. Gomez called the order "a political stunt". "This is unprecedented, unlawful, and going nowhere," she wrote on X. "Companies should challenge it head-on. The First Amendment is on their side."

White House Communications Director Steven Cheung said Kimmel should be "shunned for the rest of his life". Kimmel defended his joke, calling it "a very light roast" and not a call to assassination. Trump, however, labeled the sketch a "call to violence".

The FCC, established in 1934, is tasked with licensing broadcast frequencies. Trump has previously suggested stripping licenses from networks that give him "bad publicity", raising concerns about the administration's authority and independence of the commission.

Source: www.bbc.com