A Trump administration official has warned that ABC’s broadcast license might be revoked because Disney is under investigation for its efforts to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in hiring. The Trump administration has been working to eliminate these practices.
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr spoke to Fox News and said that Disney’s practices could be seen as discrimination.
“If the evidence does in fact play out and shows that they were engaged in race- and gender-based discrimination, that’s a very serious issue at the FCC, that could fundamentally go to their character qualifications to even hold a license,” Carr said in an interview on Monday.
“But we’re going to follow the facts wherever they go.”
Since returning to office, President Trump has issued several executive orders to limit DEI policies in schools, government agencies, and businesses.
In late March, a federal judge temporarily blocked parts of Trump’s executive orders after a non-profit organization, Chicago Women in Trades, filed a lawsuit.
DEI refers to policies that encourage hiring people from different races, genders, ethnicities, religions, ages, sexual orientations, disabilities, and social classes.
Supporters of Trump’s orders believe they will address inequality, while critics worry they may make the situation worse.
Carr announced on Friday that he was looking into whether Disney’s DEI policies violated the FCC’s rules on equal employment opportunities.
“The evidence we have so far indicates potentially that Disney and ABC were making employment decisions based on race and gender, including having effectively race-defined affinity groups within the company,” Carr said on Monday. “We have evidence that they put quotas in place based on specific demographics.” (Watch the clip below.)
FCC chairman Brendan Carr: "The evidence we have so far indicates potentially that Disney and ABC were making employment decisions based on race and gender…" pic.twitter.com/7gqTH01fg4
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) March 31, 2025
The Walt Disney Co. said on Friday that it received Carr’s letter and will work with the FCC.
“We are reviewing the Federal Communications Commission’s letter, and we look forward to engaging with the commission to answer its questions,” Disney told The Hill.
This investigation follows a similar probe into NBCUniversal’s parent company, Comcast, regarding its DEI practices.
I have asked the @FCC’s Enforcement Bureau to open an investigation into Disney & ABC.
While Disney started as an iconic American company, it recently went all in on DEI.
I am concerned that their DEI practices may violate FCC prohibitions on invidious forms of discrimination. pic.twitter.com/E31QwwFcxA
— Brendan Carr (@BrendanCarrFCC) March 28, 2025
Carr sent letters to both Disney and Comcast, saying the FCC wants to ensure that the companies aren’t promoting harmful discrimination.
