Eight ABC-owned broadcast licenses are under early FCC review, with ABC and Disney alleging the proceedings retaliate against programming and editorial decisions the administration dislikes.
Universities also face federal investigations and threatened funding cuts over protests, diversity policies and alleged dangerous speech, extending pressure beyond broadcasters to campuses.
The report argues such actions chill speech even without explicit bans, because institutions may curb criticism to avoid license challenges, regulatory punishment or loss of federal money.
Historical parallels cited include the 1917 Espionage Act, Roosevelt-era wartime censorship and post-9/11 surveillance, all framed as emergencies that expanded government power over civil liberties.
Its broader warning is that once any administration gains power to punish disfavored viewpoints, that authority outlasts one president and endangers dissent across the political spectrum.