Trump called for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to punish Meet the Press host Kristen Welker after she described his campaign endorsement record as “mixed results,” but media and legal experts say the FCC has no legal authority to act since the First Amendment protects her statement.

Experts also note the FCC regulates individual broadcast stations, not networks, and pointed to the agency's limited role in overseeing program content under the Communications Act of 1934.

“I just don’t see how they can, at least in good faith. Several other outlets made similar statements about his endorsements and recent upsets in primaries,” says Johanna Dunaway, professor of political science and research director of the Institute for Democracy, Journalism and Citizenship.

“President Trump’s post references ‘purposeful inaccuracy’ in an apparent attempt to suggest her comment meets the standard for libel, but characterizing his record on recent endorsements as ‘mixed’ is neither inaccurate nor malicious,” Dunaway says.

Read more in the USA Today article, “Trump wants FCC to go after this TV host. What happens now?”