Important news update this evening. ABC News has taken a historic step and taken legal action against the Trump administration for attacking ABC News's First Amendment rights. We're seeing media companies finally step up in this moment. At the same time, Donald Trump is getting bored of the war in Iran as gas prices continue to rise. Kamala Harris calling out Donald Trump's war as complete BS. In addition, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is facing the heat this evening for comments made about a seven-month road trip that he took, despite the fact that most Americans can't afford to take a road trip, and much more. I have all the news for you.
I told you I might not be able to get you a news update tonight because I'm deep in the Epstein files, helping members of Congress prepare for a deposition next week, but I wanted to make sure you had a news update nonetheless. If you can, please consider subscribing to my Substack link below to support my work, especially as we're deep where we're not letting the Epstein files go. We're fighting back, and we're working, by the way, on some big stuff about the AI impersonations of me and stuff. I'm going to have more updates on that soon. Like, comment, share, get the word out. Let's jump right in. Here is the headline summary of ABC News's petition today filed with the FCC.
Quote: "The commission's order to file this petition for declaratory ruling is unprecedented, beyond the commission's authority, and counterproductive to the commission's essentially encouraging a free speech and open political discussion." It goes on to say, "The commission's actions threaten to upend decades of settled law and practice and chill critical protected speech, both with respect to The View and more broadly. The View has been broadcasting under a bona fide news exemption granted to it more than 20 years ago, consistent with long-standing commission interpretations designed to minimize the serious First Amendment problems inherent in the equal time regime. The View's exemption remains valid, and the constitutional infirmities in the equal time doctrine are even more pronounced today when the broadcast airwaves account for a slice of the numerous media options through which Americans get their political information. Indeed, the marketplace of ideas has never been more robust, and people can hear virtually any brand of political commentary by listening to a podcast, watching cable, scrolling social media, or streaming on a phone, computer, or connected TV. The free flow of ideas flourishes on these non-broadcast platforms even though the equal opportunities rule does not apply there."
So essentially, the core tenet of all of this is the Trump administration is going after The View and ABC News for not providing equal time to conservatives as they do liberals. That's kind of the baseline here in broadcast TV. You have a rule. It's the equal time rule. If you're going to have, for example, I don't know, let's say James Talarico show up, the Democratic nominee for Senate, you're going to have to have the Republican nominee for Senate show up. That's the basic tenet of the rule. But The View is arguing, listen, your attacks on The View and on ABC, it's uncalled for because right now in this moment, equal time doesn't really work like it did before. When anyone and everyone can, if they want to get a Democratic perspective, they can go on YouTube. Republican perspective, they can go on YouTube. It's a very different day and age.
Quote: "The public interest would be best served by supporting broadcasters' efforts to maintain their place in this marketplace of ideas. Narrowing the commission's long-standing established approach to bona fide news exemptions, however, would risk restricting political discourse exactly when it is needed most. While candidates are always able to connect with voters on cable, podcasts, and social media, specifically requiring broadcast airtime for all qualified candidates does not expand speech. Rather, it makes coverage infeasible, which ultimately reduces it. In California's upcoming gubernatorial jungle primary, for instance, affording equal time would mean accommodating over 60 legally qualified candidates, regardless of their perceived newsworthiness. The government should neither suppress nor compel speech in support of any political viewpoint in order to, quote, achieve the state's own conception of speech nirvana. That includes telling a private publisher how to exercise their editorial discretion about what content to carry or favor."
Significant, and it really makes a good point about the California race. It says, "Listen, you want equal time? Well, that means we would have to give an interview to 60-plus candidates running for governor in California." It concludes by saying, "ABC is committed to full compliance with the Communications Act and the commission's rules. ABC is likewise committed to serving the public interest by bringing impactful and engaging news and entertainment programming to the communities it serves. That is why ABC sought and received a formal determination from the commission that The View is a bona fide news interview program nearly 25 years ago. Even if it had not done so, however, The View currently qualifies as a bona fide news interview program because it manifestly meets every one of the three factors the commission and Congress established. The View and other shows like it support the public interest as Congress envisioned when it adopted the bona fide news exemptions. This goal, giving the public broadcast access to news about political races by permitting broadcasters to cover political news, is especially critical today."
As the 2026 election approaches, the American people need more access to news and more exposure, not less. It is therefore imperative the commission act quickly to assure broadcasters that it will uphold its long-established standards protecting the good faith news judgment, including political candidates and bona fide news programs. To do anything else on the eve of an election cycle would compound the uncertainty and resulting First Amendment chill that the commission's recent actions have endangered. ABC therefore respectfully requests the commission expeditiously affirm The View continues to qualify for the bona fide news interview exemption under Section 315(a). And notably, Paul Clement, who's a very established conservative lawyer, signed this. So ABC's fighting back, historic because it's the first time you have a news organization that's actually fighting back against Trump and saying, "Hey, Mr. President, you're actually violating our First Amendment rights."
It comes as Donald Trump is reportedly bored about the war in Iran. A new Atlantic article has described Trump being bored, Trump being tired, Trump wanting to essentially no longer have to deal with the war in Iran. He wants to instead focus on domestic issues. And here's why. The price of a gallon of gas in the United States of America hasn't been this high in a very long time. $4.50 on average for regular, $5.66 on average for diesel. Airfare prices have risen as well. $365 for an average flight domestic, $1,100 international. That right there is why the Trump administration wants to move away from the war and why he is bored tonight, and it's why Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy's getting heat for comments he made this morning.
