Sen. Bernie Moreno urges FCC probe into ABC News report

Republican Senator Bernie Moreno of Ohio urged the Federal Communications Commission on Saturday to launch a formal investigation into ABC News, pointing to a financial discrepancy in a deleted and revised report about the sons of President Donald Trump and defense contractor Anduril Industries. The disputed reporting originally claimed that 1789 Capital—a venture firm where Donald Trump Jr. serves as a partner—secured a major stake in Anduril via a $2.5 billion investment, whereas that figure actually represented Anduril’s broader fundraising round while 1789 Capital’s actual investment was approximately $50 million, Fox News reported.

Bernie Moreno Demands Federal Probe Into ABC News Reporting

In a letter addressed to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr, Senator Bernie Moreno demanded accountability from the Disney-owned network, questioning whether the broadcast violated its public interest obligations. Moreno stated in the letter, Thus, I urge the Commission to open a formal investigation into ABC News’s political hit job. We must know who signed off on the publication of this false story, who may have asked to profit from the attack, and whether ABC News’s conduct violated its obligations as a licensee. According to Fox News, a spokesperson for the senator declined to elaborate further on the allegations when contacted.

The controversy emerged after ABC News published an article examining business investments tied to Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump. The initial piece asserted that companies connected to the president’s sons had secured billions in government contracts through mechanisms including 1789 Capital. Following criticism regarding the financing figures, government contracts, and event chronologies, ABC News removed the initial report and republished a substantially revised version. The updated article included a new headline, a revised byline, an editor’s note acknowledging factual errors, and a clarification that Donald Trump Jr. does not sit on the firm’s investment decision-making committee.

Economic Stakes And Defense Contractor Operations In Ohio

Senator Moreno emphasized the high economic stakes for his home state of Ohio, where Anduril Industries is currently developing its Arsenal-1 manufacturing facility. The defense company has announced plans to pour nearly $1 billion into the project, a development projected to create upwards of 4,000 local jobs. Moreno argued that false reporting concerning the company’s financial backing and federal contracting decisions directly threatens a major employment engine in Ohio.

The dispute over the ABC News broadcast intersects with an ongoing regulatory conflict between The Walt Disney Company and the Federal Communications Commission regarding early license reviews for network-owned television stations. While Disney has maintained that regulatory scrutiny over station licenses threatens constitutionally protected editorial independence, federal regulators have framed the reviews under standard administrative oversight. Fox News Digital reported that the Federal Communications Commission did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding Senator Moreno’s petition, while an ABC News source stated that the network analyzes situations thoroughly and declined further public comment.