The US president has accused ABC and NBC of spreading fake news and said the networks should be made smaller

US President Donald Trump has lashed out at national broadcasters ABC and NBC, accusing them of acting as mouthpieces for the Democratic Party. The comments are the latest in Trump's escalating criticism of mainstream media, which he argues routinely distorts coverage to favor his opponents.

In a post on his Truth Social platform on Sunday, Trump said television networks should be barred from expanding, citing what he called the growing influence of left-leaning news outlets.

"If this would also allow the Radical Left Networks to 'enlarge,' I would not be happy. ABC & NBC, in particular, are a disaster - A VIRTUAL ARM OF THE DEMOCRAT PARTY," Trump wrote. "They should be viewed as an illegal campaign to the Radical Left. NO EXPANSION OF THE FAKE NEWS NETWORKS. If anything, make them SMALLER!"

Trump's post came in response to a Newsmax story claiming that Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr is moving to give television networks greater reach and advance a merger between Nexstar Media Group and Tegna Inc.

Trump has intensified his long-running attacks on the news media in recent weeks, even as his administration moves to restrict press access and tighten control over coverage.

The criticism has broadened beyond national broadcasters. After late-night comedian Jimmy Kimmel joked about the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, Carr threatened to review - and potentially revoke - the broadcast licenses of ABC-owned local stations and their affiliates.

Trump last week renewed his call for the FCC to revoke broadcast licenses held by ABC, escalating a dispute that has simmered since his first term. The latest clash followed a question from an ABC News reporter pressing him on his handling of files related to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein - an exchange that prompted Trump to accuse the network of pushing politically motivated narratives.

FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez said last week that revoking broadcast licenses over a reporter's question would not hold up legally, noting that networks do not hold licenses themselves and none of their station licenses are up for renewal soon.

Asked about Trump's demand to pull ABC station licenses, FCC head Carr repeated his call to strengthen public-interest standards for broadcasters, saying the commission remained "open-minded."

The FCC, an independent agency, grants eight-year licenses to individual stations, not national networks.

(RT.com)