Former President Donald Trump has amplified his criticism of CBS, calling for revoking the network’s broadcast license. His statements come in response to CBS’s handling of a “60 Minutes” interview with Vice President Kamala Harris, which aired last week. Trump alleges that the edited interview amounted to a “fake news scam” and accused the network of intentionally manipulating Harris’ answers to improve her public image ahead of the upcoming election.
Trump took to social media to voice his displeasure, saying, “CBS should lose their broadcast license. They edited Kamala’s answer to make her look better. It’s a scam, and it’s interfering with the election. “60 Minutes is a major part of the News Organization of CBS, which has just created the Greatest Fraud in Broadcast History,” Trump wrote. “CBS should lose its license, and it should be bid out to the Highest Bidder, as should all other Broadcast Licenses, because they are just as corrupt as CBS — and maybe even WORSE!”
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel quickly reacted by denouncing Trump’s proposal. She clarified that the FCC’s responsibilities do not involve revoking licenses over content that political figures may dislike. She described such threats as contrary to free speech, noting that the FCC licenses individual broadcast stations rather than networks and that the agency’s authority does not cover content decisions. Rosenworcel further stated that the FCC will not revoke licenses merely because a candidate disagrees with the coverage.
Trump’s past criticisms of media networks also resurfaced after his remarks. During his presidency, he made similar comments about ABC, claiming the network skewed the portrayal of a debate. The former FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, appointed by Trump, had also dismissed these suggestions, underscoring the FCC’s commitment to the First Amendment. According to Pai, “The FCC under my leadership will stand for the First Amendment, and under the law, the FCC does not have the authority to revoke a license of a broadcast station based on the content of a particular newscast.”
The edited interview aired as part of CBS’s “60 Minutes” series, with differing portions presented on other programs. CBS explained that such edits are standard practice aimed at tailoring content to fit various program formats. The network stated that Harris’ responses were edited to fit the time constraints of each segment and did not misrepresent her words.
