Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin on Friday sharply criticized ABC and NBC for declining to broadcast President Donald Trump's primetime election security address on their television networks, accusing the outlets of deliberately withholding critical information from the American public as the midterm elections approach. Speaking to reporters, Mullin described the decision as «shameful» and questioned the networks' commitment to journalism.
«How shameful is that?» Mullin said. «ABC and NBC not carrying that. Why? What are they trying to cover up? Why wouldn't they want to inform the American people? Why are they calling themselves a news outlet if they're not actually trying to put the news out there?»
The president's address, delivered from the White House on Thursday evening, focused on newly declassified intelligence related to vulnerabilities in U.S. voting infrastructure and foreign efforts to obtain American voter data. Trump also urged Congress to pass the SAVE America Act, which would impose federal voter identification and proof-of-citizenship requirements. The speech was part of a broader push by the administration to highlight what it describes as systemic election integrity issues.
While Fox News carried the entire speech live, CBS aired only a portion before cutting away. ABC and NBC did not show the address on their broadcast networks but offered it through their respective streaming platforms. CNN also declined to air the speech live, and MSNBC aired part of it before switching to other programming. The selective coverage drew immediate backlash from the White House and Republican lawmakers.
Mullin contrasted the networks' current behavior with their past coverage of election security claims. He argued that the same outlets had previously amplified assurances about the integrity of the 2020 election without presenting evidence, while now they were refusing to air the administration's presentation of declassified intelligence. «They sure covered the other part of it when they were saying that it was the most secure election ever,» Mullin said. «What facts did they have? Because they didn't have facts. They were taking someone's word for it. President Trump gave facts. Today we're giving facts.»
During his address, Trump directly criticized ABC and NBC for their decisions, accusing them of being part of a broader effort to conceal election fraud. «They don't like the topic because they know how corrupt our system is, and they don't want to reveal it,» Trump said. «They and others in the media are part of a plot. They want to continue this fraud for whatever reason. They want to keep it going. They want to protect the radical left.»
The president went further, suggesting that the networks should face regulatory consequences for not carrying his remarks. «Fraud like this should mean a revocation of their licenses,» Trump said. «They use our public multibillion-dollar-in-value airways for absolutely no money.» The Federal Communications Commission licenses individual broadcast stations, not national networks, a distinction that could complicate any such regulatory action.
The controversy comes amid a broader debate over media coverage of election integrity issues. Supporters of the president argue that the public has a right to hear directly from the administration about national security matters, while critics contend that the speech contained unsubstantiated claims and that networks have editorial discretion over what to broadcast. The White House has framed the networks' decision as a failure of journalistic responsibility.
In addition to the media dispute, Trump on Friday also threatened to impose new tariffs on Canada over smoke from its wildfires, which he said is «costing the United States Billions of Dollars.» In a post on Truth Social, Trump warned that «the cost of this pollution must of necessity be added to the TARIFFS Canada is currently paying.» The threat drew swift condemnation on social media, with critics noting that Canada has sent firefighters to help combat wildfires in the United States. The tariff threat adds another layer of tension to U.S.-Canada relations, already strained by ongoing trade disputes.
The administration's election security push has also yielded concrete findings. Trump announced the release of previously classified intelligence that the White House says documents vulnerabilities in voting infrastructure. Additionally, the president highlighted what he described as a «massive amount of dead people on North Carolina voter rolls,» citing data from the state's election integrity efforts. These claims are part of a broader campaign to tighten voting laws ahead of the midterms.
As the political fallout continues, the decisions by ABC and NBC have become a flashpoint in the ongoing debate over media bias and the role of the press in covering the executive branch. Mullin's remarks underscore the administration's determination to keep the issue in the spotlight, with the secretary calling on the networks to explain their reasoning. «Why wouldn't they want to inform the American people?» he asked. The question remains unanswered as the networks have not publicly commented on their editorial decisions regarding the speech.