Former ABC News journalists urge Disney’s Bob Iger to stand firm for press freedom amid political pressure

More than 100 former ABC News journalists have sent Disney CEO Bob Iger a letter urging him to actively defend free speech and press freedom in the face of mounting political pressure.

The letter was drafted after ABC temporarily suspended “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” last week and delivered Wednesday, following the show’s return on Tuesday. The group praised Iger’s decision to bring the program back, calling it a clear signal that political intimidation shouldn’t determine ABC’s programming, but stressed that the move should be only a first step.

Arguing that Disney has both a responsibility and an opportunity to lead, the letter contends that ABC’s $16 million settlement with Donald Trump last December encouraged him to intensify his attacks on the press. “The First Amendment is not negotiable,” the signees wrote, adding that ABC’s credibility and Disney’s reputation depend on steady leadership in its defense.

Signatories include former correspondents Sam Donaldson and Judy Muller; former executive producer Tom Bettag; and Kayce Freed Jennings, widow of longtime ABC anchor Peter Jennings.

Lisa Stark, a former ABC correspondent, and Ian Cameron, a former executive producer who helped organize the letter, said they recognize the political and financial pressures on Disney and other networks, but insisted this is a moment for Iger and industry leaders to stand firm in protecting journalists and a free press.

In his widely viewed monologue Tuesday, Jimmy Kimmel called out what he described as ongoing pressure from Trump on news outlets, saying the former president is targeting journalists through lawsuits and intimidation. About an hour before the show aired, Trump posted on Truth Social, accusing ABC of making an illegal campaign contribution, without providing evidence.

The tension has put ABC News journalists in a challenging position. Even so, the network has thoroughly covered the Kimmel dispute and continued to break major stories about the Trump administration.

On Sunday, ABC’s Jon Karl opened “This Week” with an in-depth report on Trump’s drive for “retribution.” He also highlighted a newly announced Pentagon policy that, he said, would require reporters to pledge not to gather or use even unclassified information unless it is explicitly approved for release, with noncompliance risking press-pass revocation. Karl argued such a policy is more in line with authoritarian countries than the United States and cited it as part of a broader effort by the federal government to silence critics of the president.