Josh D'Amaro has barely taken the reins at Disney, and the company is already facing a wave of trouble — capped by a major political fight with President Donald Trump.
In just six weeks, Disney has been hit by setbacks involving OpenAI's Sora, a key video game partnership, turmoil at ABC's "The Bachelorette," and marketing layoffs.
Now comes the biggest test: Federal regulators have ordered a review of ABC station licenses owned by Disney.
The Federal Communications Commission said the review is tied to ABC's diversity and inclusion policies. But the move came after Trump demanded that ABC fire late-night host Jimmy Kimmel over comments involving first lady Melania Trump.
In a statement to The New York Times, Disney said it is confident its stations are operating in "full compliance" with FCC rules.
"Our record demonstrates our continued qualifications as licensees under the Communications Act and the First Amendment," Disney said, adding it would defend itself "through the appropriate legal channels."
The fight could become a defining moment for D'Amaro, whose Disney career was in parks, resorts, and cruises before taking the company's helm.
"It's highly unusual for a new CEO to be given such a huge test so early on," Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, of Yale, told the outlet. "It's a burden, but it could also be hugely valuable. Josh is now going to see who he can trust on the inside, who understands how he wants to operate."
Disney owns just eight ABC stations, but they are in major markets including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Houston, and San Francisco.
At a conference in Norway, Disney board Chairman James P. Gorman reportedly backed D'Amaro, saying, "He's world class, so I'm sure he'll rise to the occasion and do what the right thing is."
The controversy surrounding Kimmel escalated dramatically over the weekend in Washington.
The White House Correspondents' Association dinner was abruptly canceled after an armed assailant breached security outside the hotel hosting the event, spurring a major law enforcement response.
Authorities later charged a 31-year-old California man with attempting to assassinate Trump, raising fresh concerns about political violence and security surrounding high-profile events.
The incident came amid outrage over Kimmel's on-air remarks about the first lady, which drew condemnation from both the president and Melania Trump.
Melania Trump said Kimmel "shouldn't have the opportunity to enter our homes each evening to spread hate."
There are no signs Disney plans to fire Kimmel. Instead, D'Amaro allowed him to remain on the air, where the comedian doubled down on his remark that Melania Trump has the "glow" of an "expectant widow."
"It was a very light roast joke about the fact that he's almost 80 and she's younger than I am," Kimmel said. "It was not by any stretch of the definition a call to assassination, and they know that."
For D'Amaro, the ABC fight may force a broader reckoning over whether Disney's TV assets are still viable in the age of streaming.
Analyst Rich Greenfield suggested that such assets are "tertiary," telling the Times that "late-night television does not make money for Disney."
"Why are they even in that business?" he asked.
Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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