ABC and NBC to stream Trump address, not broadcast

Two major U.S. television networks, ABC and NBC, announced on July 16, 2026, that they would not broadcast President Donald Trump's scheduled primetime address live on their primary broadcast channels. Instead, both networks will carry the speech, scheduled for 9 p.m. ET that evening from the White House, on their respective streaming news platforms. The decisions reflect an evolving industry approach to presidential addresses and come amid debate over how to cover speeches expected to contain disputed claims about election integrity.

ABC News stated it would air the address live on its ABC News Live streaming service and on ABC News Radio, with plans to cover it in regularly scheduled newscasts. The network said its Special Report team remained prepared to break into broadcast programming should significant developments occur. NBC News said it would stream the president's remarks live on NBC News NOW and air a special report on the NBC broadcast network after the speech concludes. As of Thursday afternoon, CBS News had not publicly announced its plans for the broadcast network, though reports indicated it was considering a middle-ground approach, such as airing edited clips...