Eric Trump Supports FCC Probe into ABC News Over Faulty Story
Eric Trump has endorsed calls for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to investigate ABC News following errors in a recent story about the Trump family’s business history with defense firm Anduril Industries. Republican Senator Bernie Moreno from Ohio urged the FCC to look into what led to the publication of an incorrect report on ABC’s site, which claimed “Trump sons’ investments have won billions in Pentagon contracts since his election”. The report, initially deleted without explanation, was later republished with corrections.
On a social media platform, Eric Trump thanked Moreno for his initiative, expressing eagerness to participate in the probe. He criticized ABC News, stating that publishing a misleading article, allowing it to go viral, and then deleting it without explanation or apology was unacceptable. Trump demanded accountability, asking who approved the story and if the author had been terminated, insisting that ABC News owed them an explanation.
The controversial report falsely alleged that Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump were involved in a Pentagon-linked deal. Moreno wrote to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, seeking accountability for the report and questioning the network’s compliance with broadcasting responsibilities.
“I urge the Commission to open a formal investigation into ABC News’s political hit job. We must know who signed off on the publication of this false story, who may have asked to profit from the attack, and whether ABC News’s conduct violated its obligations as a licensee,” Moreno stated.
The erroneous story had linked companies associated with Trump’s sons to billions in government contracts, citing investments through venture capital firm 1789 Capital. Moreno disputed the report’s interpretation of Anduril’s investment process, arguing that ABC News misrepresented their financing activities and unnecessarily linked the Trump family to federal contracting.
The controversy focused on ABC News’s initial assertion that 1789 Capital, where Trump Jr. is a partner, made a major investment in Anduril, representing $2.5 billion. This figure, however, was part of Anduril’s larger fundraising campaign, with 1789 Capital’s contribution amounting to only $50 million.
ABC News revised the article, mentioning errors related to investments, government contracts, and the timing of events, and clarified that Trump Jr. is not part of the firm’s investment decision-making process. The updated headline read “New shipyard announced amid earlier Democratic concerns about potential conflicts of interest.” The report’s original byline was replaced with “ABC News.”
According to a source from 1789, ABC News journalist Nathan Lee, who wrote the initial story, defended it in a phone call before its removal. An investigation revealed that editors initially maintained the integrity of the published story, contradicting their later claims that it was released prematurely. As of yet, ABC News has not provided comments on the issue.