Trump Threatens ABC News License After Clash Over Epstein Files and Khashoggi Murder

President Donald Trump publicly clashed with ABC News Chief White House Correspondent Mary Bruce during a meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, escalating into threats against the network’s broadcast license. The incident, which occurred on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, stemmed from Bruce’s questions regarding the Jeffrey Epstein files and the 2018 murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi.

Confrontation in the Oval Office

The exchange began when Bruce questioned Trump about the recently released documents pertaining to Jeffrey Epstein. She also inquired about the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, a topic sensitive given the presence of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whom U.S. Intelligence has implicated in the killing (AP News).

Trump responded by denouncing Bruce as a “terrible reporter” and criticizing her “attitude.” He accused ABC News of spreading “fake news” and suggested the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) should review the network’s broadcast license (Fox News). He specifically referenced FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, implying he should investigate the network.

White House Amplifies Attacks

The White House followed up the incident with a press release further attacking ABC News, characterizing it as “a Democrat spin operation masquerading as a broadcast network” (Deadline). The release detailed what the White House claims is a history of biased reporting and “peddling lies, conspiracies and outright opinion.”

During the exchange, Trump insisted he had “nothing to do with” Jeffrey Epstein, referring to him as a “sick pervert” he had previously removed from his club. He also mentioned several Democrats and public figures he alleges were associated with Epstein.

Previous Incidents and Concerns

This is not the first instance of President Trump threatening media outlets with repercussions. He has previously called for the FCC to review the licenses of other networks he deems critical of his administration (NBC News). Concerns have been raised about the potential chilling effect such threats could have on freedom of the press.

No Network Response

As of this reporting, ABC News has not issued a formal statement defending Mary Bruce or responding to the White House’s accusations. However, colleagues and journalism groups have voiced their support for Bruce (Deadline).