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By Peter Aitken
Politics Weekend Editor
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President Donald Trump has voiced personal concerns about the potential Nexstar Media Group merger could give networks like NBC and ABC, which have been critical of him and his administration, greater reach than they currently have.
Newsweek reached out to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and Nexstar Media Group by email on Sunday evening for comment.
Why It Matters
The Nexstar merger with fellow TV giant Tegna has been in the works since August 2025 when the television giant announced it had entered into an agreement to buy Tegna for around $6.2 billion.
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The merger would make Nexstar, already the largest owner of local television stations in the United States, potentially the largest media company with the most extensive reach in the country, with ownership over 265 television stations across 44 states and covering around 80 percent of TV households, according to Variety.
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What To Know
Trump took to Truth Social in the wake of the Nexstar deal making progress, with Tegna shareholders approving the merger over the past few days, according to Canadian outlet The Globe and Mail.
Trump warned that the deal could "enlarge" the more liberal networks, such as NBC and ABC, which would empower "fake news."
"If this would also allow the Radical Left Networks to 'enlarge,' I would not be happy," Trump wrote on Truth Social, in part, calling networks like ABC and NBC "A VIRTUAL ARM OF THE DEMOCRAT PARTY."
It remains to be seen what impact the president's concerns could have on the merger, which is subject to FCC approval, but FCC Chair Brendan Carr has made it clear he has no issue leaning on companies.
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ABC temporarily suspended late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel in September over comments made in the wake of Charlie Kirk's assassination when Carr indicated that he wanted to see the comedian suspended, and Nexstar and Sinclair Broadcast Group said they would not air Kimmel's show if he continued to host it.
Ultimately, the public backlash against the suspension, due largely to the perception that it amounted to federal censorship of public television, proved too strong, and Kimmel was reinstated, and Nexstar and Sinclair ended their boycott as Kimmel pulled in his best ratings in years following his return.
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social: "If this would also allow the Radical Left Networks to “enlarge,” I would not be happy. ABC & NBC, in particular, are a disaster - A VIRTUAL ARM OF THE DEMOCRAT PARTY. They should be viewed as an illegal campaign to the Radical Left. NO EXPANSION OF THE FAKE NEWS NETWORKS. If anything, make them SMALLER! President DJT"
FCC Chair Brendan Carr in September wrote on X following Kimmel's suspension, in part: "Local broadcasters have an obligation to serve the public interest. While this may be an unprecedented decision, it is important for broadcasters to push back on Disney programming that they determine falls short of community values. I hope that other broadcasters follow Nexstar’s lead."
What Happens Next?
Nexstar last week formerly asked for FCC approval to proceed with its acquisition of Tegna, and it remains to be seen if the president's comments have all but ended hopes of that merger happening.
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