Donald Trump has accused ABC and NBC of refusing to air his election security address, alleging the networks sought to conceal evidence of election fraud.
Following President Trump’s prime-time address on Thursday night, which was not carried by several news networks, a rumor circulated on social media claiming that White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt had threatened the networks over their decision.
The viral claim asserted that Leavitt stated ABC and NBC would face the full force of the U.S. government for allegedly violating the “1972 On-Air Broadcast Charter” by not airing the presidential address. The posts further alleged that the networks were neglecting their public interest obligation by refusing to broadcast a presidential address.
However, a review of available information reveals no record of Press Secretary Leavitt making such a statement. Furthermore, there is no evidence of an “On-Air Broadcast Charter of 1972” in the U.S. that would be violated by a network’s decision not to air a particular presidential address. Searches of credible news reports and official White House statements did not corroborate the claim. The social media account that propagated the rumor has a history of sharing unverified information.
President Trump himself voiced his accusations of censorship, stating that ABC and NBC “fake news” deliberately avoided broadcasting his White House address on election security. He suggested their actions were motivated by a desire to hide his allegations about corruption within the election system.
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