As former ABC News employees, many of whom are also Disney shareholders, we care deeply about The Walt Disney Company, about ABC News and most critically about protecting a free press.

We want to acknowledge and commend your decision to reinstate Jimmy Kimmel’s show. It was the right call and an important statement that political intimidation should not dictate ABC’s programming. This action reflects the values that have long defined The Walt Disney Company.

Yet, it must be just the first step in a concerted effort to defend free speech and press freedom against political intimidation. The $16 million settlement with Donald Trump, combined with the absence of a strong public defense of ABC News journalists under attack, has emboldened Administration efforts to intimidate the press. 

The continued political pressure from the president and others in his Administration undermines both the journalistic integrity of ABC News and the First Amendment rights you have long defended.

As Jimmy Kimmel so eloquently put it when talking about these attempts to stifle free speech, “That’s not legal, that’s not American. That is un-American, and it is so dangerous.”

Disney has both the responsibility and the opportunity to lead by standing firmly against capitulation and in defense of democratic values.

Your legacy includes a reputation as a staunch defender of the essential role of journalism in a healthy democracy. We urge you now to reaffirm that legacy by:

• Publicly and unequivocally defending ABC journalists against political attacks.

• Aggressively pushing back against government efforts to undermine the First Amendment.

• Making clear that ABC News—and Disney—will not be silenced or intimidated by political pressure.

The First Amendment is not negotiable. ABC’s credibility and Disney’s reputation depend on unwavering leadership in its defense. At this critical moment, you have the chance to set a powerful example by standing up for the principles that define both our democracy and The Walt Disney Company.

Signed,