This is an L.A. Times Studios podcast.

A second act is unfolding in the battle between President Trump and one of his loudest critics,

Jimmy Kimmel. On Tuesday, the Federal Communications Commission ordered a sweeping review

of all broadcast licenses owned by ABC in what is perhaps the most aggressive attempt by the federal government to target the media.

Officially, regulators say this is about an investigation into Disney's diversity and inclusion policies and whether they violate the Communications Act of 1934,

which is a law that prohibits discrimination.

But the timing of the FCC review, which could allow them to pull those ABC stations off the air, is hard to ignore.

Here's a clip of Kimmel's monologue just a few days before the White House correspondence

dinner this past weekend.

First lady Melania is here.

Look at, so beautiful.

Mrs. Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow.

Kimmel's jabs raised few eyebrows at the time, but have since drawn criticism after a gunman

was arrested at the event Saturday night and charged with trying to assassinate the president.

Now right-wing commentators say Kimmel's remarks are what inspired the political violence.

And both the president and First Lady Melania Trump publicly urged the network to fire Kimmel.

But Kimmel didn't back down, saying this on Monday.

It was a very light roast joke about the fact that he's almost 80 and she's younger than I am.

It was not by any stretch of the definition a call to assassination.

And also, I agree that hateful and violent rhetoric is

something we should reject. I do. And I think a great place to start to dial that back would be

to have a conversation with your husband about it. The very next day, the FCC punched back,

...