Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas is a MAGA loyalist, but he thinks the Republican-controlled FCC stepped over the line in accelerating the renewal process for broadcast licenses of Disney’s eight ABC-owned local TV stations — seemingly in response to a joke Jimmy Kimmel told about Melania Trump on late-night television.

The move by the commission, which has appeared to result from backlash surrounding Jimmy Kimmel’s “expectant widow” joke before Saturday’s WHCD, has drawn criticism from both political sides.

Republican Sen. Ted Cruz says FCC chairman Brendan Carr is overstepping after the regulator demanded that Disney file for an early license renewal of ABC's eight local broadcast stations. "It is not government's job to censor speech,

The Federal Communications Commission’s decision to accelerate a license review of Walt Disney Co.’s ABC TV stations caught many people in the agency by surprise, laying the foundation for a likely protracted legal battle over a norm-shattering strategy shift.

Officials called for ABC to punish Jimmy Kimmel for a remark about the first lady, but an expert said it was constitutionally-protected speech.

Carr on Tuesday ordered an early license review of Disney's eight owned and operated ABC stations.