ABC and NBC refuse to air Trump speech, CBS cuts away 2026

The blackout followed Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's on-air claim that airing the speech live breached the networks' ethical obligation to viewers.

ABC and NBC skipped Trump's address entirely, replacing it with rebuttal panels and analysis.
CBS aired roughly seventeen minutes before cutting away to rebuttal analysis mid-speech.
AOC told viewers the networks had 'an ethical obligation' not to air Trump live.

Why it matters: Deciding which side speaks live is not covering politics, it is making it.

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