Donald Trump has called for ABC News’ broadcast license to be revoked following his contentious debate performance against Kamala Harris on Tuesday. The former president, dissatisfied with the debate’s outcome and the network’s role in fact-checking his false statements, voiced his frustrations on “Fox & Friends” the next morning.
Trump criticized the moderators for challenging his claims on various issues including abortion and immigration, asserting that their fact-checking was biased.
“ABC took a big hit last night,” Trump told Fox News. “I mean, to be honest, they are a news organization, they have to be licensed to do it. They ought to take away their license for the way they did that.”
His call for revoking ABC’s license has drawn significant reactions from social media users and commentators.
“Totally normal response to losing a debate,” tweeted journalist Mehdi Hasan. “Not authoritarian or dictatorial at all. This is the free speech champion that [Elon] Musk keeps praising.”
Journalist Michael Musto satirized Trump’s reaction: “‘I was great! I won! It was amazing! What a triumph for me!’—only to pivot when he saw the backlash. It was a complete disaster for him. ‘ABC News should lose their license!'”
Architect Leonard Riccardi commented on the nature of the lies Trump was fact-checked on, describing them as “hideous and complete lies” about immigration and abortion.
Cybersecurity expert Jackie Singh interpreted Trump’s threat as indicative of a broader authoritarian mindset: “Trump essentially threatened to revoke ABC’s broadcast license should he be re-elected. This kind of rhetoric signals a disregard for press freedom and a desire to suppress inconvenient truths.”
Social media analyst Brian Krasserstein also weighed in: “Last night I said you’d know Trump had a disastrous debate performance if he started blaming the moderators and ABC News. Here we are.”
Online activist The Tennessee Holler summarized the sentiment succinctly: “Unhappy with how the debate went, Trump threatens to take away ABC’s broadcast license.”
BREAKING: Trump , on Fox and Friends, calls for ABC News to lose their license after he was destroyed in the debate:
Last Night I told you all, you will know that Trump got destroyed in the Presidential debate if they start blaming the moderators and ABC News.
Well, here you… pic.twitter.com/I0272SJaxH
— Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) September 11, 2024
