Trump demands networks 'lose licences' after refusing to air his election speech live

Washington DC: Donald Trump called for broadcasters to lose their licences after NBC, ABC and other networks declined to air his primetime election speech live, during which he renewed disputed claims about past US elections.

US President Donald Trump criticised major American television networks after several declined to broadcast his primetime address on election security live, saying broadcasters that refused to carry the speech should lose their licences. The address, delivered from the White House on Thursday night, saw Trump once again raise doubts about past US elections and renew his call for stricter voting laws.

Networks opt against live television broadcast

Ahead of the speech, major broadcasters including NBC, ABC and CNN announced they would not interrupt their regular primetime television schedules to air Trump's address live. Instead, they chose to stream the speech on their digital platforms and provide news coverage if significant developments occurred.

ABC News said in a statement: "ABC News will run President Trump's speech on ABC News Live and ABC News Radio with comprehensive, anchored coverage. We will also cover the speech in our regular network newscasts and, as always, our special report team is fully prepared to break into network programming to deliver live updates and reporting should significant developments occur."

CBS said it would air a special report during the address, though it did not immediately clarify whether it would broadcast the speech in full.

The decision reflected concerns among some broadcasters that the address could include disputed claims about previous elections.

Trump says broadcasters should lose their licences

Reacting to the decision, Trump sharply criticised the networks, accusing them of acting together against him.

He argued that broadcasters refusing to carry a presidential address live should not be allowed to keep their broadcasting licences. During remarks before and after the speech, Trump also accused some media organisations of being "part of a plot."

Earlier in the day, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt urged television networks to air the speech live.

She said: "I think that the mainstream media should air the president's speech and allow the American people to draw their own conclusions from it."

Leavitt also previewed the address by saying: "It will shock you."

She added that the media should report the speech "with a little bit of honesty and a little bit of integrity."

Trump revives disputed election claims

During the nationally televised address, Trump again questioned the integrity of previous US elections, particularly the 2020 presidential election, which he lost to Joe Biden.

He announced that his administration was releasing previously classified documents related to the 2018 and 2020 elections.

Trump said: "America is back and doing really well, but we still have a major challenge that must be urgently addressed, because no country can be great without fair and honest elections."

He continued: "Unfortunately, the system we have today falls catastrophically short of that standard."

Trump also repeated his argument that Americans should have confidence that elections are free from fraud and foreign interference.

Push for stricter voter ID laws

The president used the speech to promote the SAVE America Act, legislation that would tighten voter identification requirements across the United States. The bill remains stalled in Congress.

Before the address, Leavitt said: "The president will be speaking about tonight will show you that perhaps that is not the case, and we need to make some adjustments moving forward, including the SAVE America Act."

Trump argued that stronger election laws are necessary to ensure public confidence in future elections.

Democrats criticise the address

Democratic leaders strongly criticised Trump's decision to revisit claims surrounding past elections. Virginia Senator Mark Warner wrote on X: "Trump is going to use a primetime address to stoke misleading claims about our elections in order to justify interfering in our midterms."

New Jersey Senator Andy Kim also criticised the speech, saying: "Trump is again trying to drum up baseless election conspiracies ahead of the November elections."

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez had earlier argued that broadcasters should avoid airing misinformation.

She said: "I think we have an ethical obligation to not air things that undermine our elections and are not rooted in facts."

Networks cite past precedent

The decision by several broadcasters not to air Trump's speech live is not without precedent.

In 2022, major networks also declined to broadcast then-President Joe Biden's primetime speech warning about threats to American democracy. Similarly, some networks chose not to air former President Barack Obama's 2014 address on immigration reform during primetime.

Broadcasters generally reserve live presidential coverage for major national emergencies, foreign policy announcements or events considered to have immediate national significance.

Speech reflects Trump's continued focus on election issues

Thursday's address highlighted Trump's continued focus on election integrity during his second term. Before discussing elections, he listed what he described as his administration's achievements, including efforts to reduce prescription drug prices.

The speech also came as Republicans prepare for the 2026 midterm elections, with Trump making election security a central theme of his political agenda. While the White House framed the address as an effort to strengthen confidence in the electoral system, critics argued that revisiting disputed claims about past elections risks further deepening political divisions in the United States.