Trump blasts ABC, NBC for 'fake news,' says they should pay license fees

President Trump on Sunday blasted ABC and NBC over "fake news," saying they should pay license fees.

"Why is it that ABC and NBC FAKE NEWS, two of the absolute worst and most biased networks anywhere in the World, aren’t paying Millions of Dollars a year in LICENSE FEES," Trump posted on Truth Social.

"They should lose their Licenses for their unfair coverage of Republicans and/or Conservatives, but at a minimum, they should pay up BIG for having the privilege of using the most valuable airwaves anywhere at anytime!!!" he added. "Crooked 'journalism' should not be rewarded, it should be terminated!!!"

Earlier on Sunday night, Trump also posted, "Despite a very high popularity and, according to many, among the greatest 8 months in Presidential History, ABC & NBC FAKE NEWS, two of the worst and most biased networks in history, give me 97% BAD STORIES. IF THAT IS THE CASE, THEY ARE SIMPLY AN ARM OF THE DEMOCRAT PARTY AND SHOULD, ACCORDING TO MANY, HAVE THEIR LICENSES REVOKED BY THE FCC. I would be totally in favor of that because they are so biased and untruthful, an actual threat to our Democracy!!! MAGA."

While it is unclear where Trump got the "97%" figure, a Media Research Center study released earlier this year found that ABC, NBC, and CBS evening newscasts' coverage of the president's first 100 days in office was "92% negative," Fox News reported. MRC also found that coverage of government cuts by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was "97% negative."

As ABC and NBC News are national networks, they do not have Federal Communications Commission licenses for news content. The networks provide programming for local affiliates across the country, which are under FCC regulation and required to be licensed to operate in the U.S. Television stations pay annual regulatory fees and other fees based on station type and market. Congress imposes and collects the fees, which are deposited in the U.S. Treasury.