What We Know About FCC Nominee Thumann's Senate Hearing

Danielle Thumann, President Donald Trump's nominee for a seat on the Federal Communications Commission, declined on Tuesday to say whether she agrees with actions taken by current FCC chair Brendan Carr against ABC and late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, according to the Guardian. The confirmation hearing in Washington grew contentious as Senate Democrats pressed Thumann, who serves as Carr's senior counsel, on what they described as the agency's hostility toward press freedom.

What did Thumann say about the Kimmel and ABC matter?

Senator Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico asked Thumann directly: "Do you support Chairman Carr's illegal campaign to remove Jimmy Kimmel from the nation's airways?" Thumann responded that she had "not worked with the chairman on any media-related issues" and was "not familiar with all of the details regarding the investigation of ABC or the early license renewal of their licenses." She added she had not been involved in "any of those conversations regarding any of their practices or regarding Jimmy Kimmel," the Guardian reported. When Luján pressed her to name a single issue on which she has disagreed with Carr, she did not provide one.

What FCC actions are under scrutiny?

The hearing centered on two episodes involving ABC. In late April, Carr's FCC issued what the Guardian described as a nearly unprecedented order forcing ABC to apply early to renew its local station licenses — a move that came immediately after public criticism of Kimmel by Trump and first lady Melania Trump. Separately, Carr has faced accusations that he pressured ABC affiliates the previous fall to drop Kimmel's show. Luján also asked Thumann whether it was "appropriate for the FCC to call up Disney's broadcast license for early renewal," a question she did not answer substantively, per the Guardian's account.

Who pressed Thumann at the hearing?

Luján led the questioning, but the Guardian reported that "several of Luján's Democratic colleagues also took turns pressuring Thumann on the FCC's actions toward television" broadcasters, without detailing each senator's specific remarks beyond Luján's exchanges.

What happens next for her nomination?

Thumann is expected to be confirmed, the Guardian noted, because Republicans currently control both the Senate and the House. But Luján told her the commission's conduct will face renewed scrutiny once Democrats take control of the chamber in January 2027.

Key dates

• Late April 2026: FCC order compels ABC to seek early license renewal, following criticism of Kimmel by the president and first lady.
• November 10, 2026: Senate hearing on Thumann's nomination grows contentious over the ABC and Kimmel episodes.
• January 2027: Democrats are set to take control of the Senate chamber, per Luján's statement, positioning them to scrutinize FCC actions more closely.

The Guardian's original reporting is available here.