ABC late-night host Jimmy Kimmel criticized the Federal Communications Commission and the Trump administration for what he described as efforts to chill speech and restrict shows such as his from airing interviews with political candidates.

In his Wednesday night monologue, Kimmel said an interview with Democratic Texas Senate candidate James Talarico wouldn't air on ABC because the Disney-owned network feared running afoul of the FCC's equal-time rules.

Those rules require broadcast outlets that have candidates on during elections to also give their opponents airtime, although there has been a longstanding exemption for news and talk-show interviews.

Instead, the interview will be streamed Thursday on YouTube. Kimmel noted that he had President Trump on his show in 2015 when he was running for president and that he has often had candidates on his show without needing to comply with the equal-time rules.

"Now that he's president, his FCC has threatened me, threatened our show, threatened our network, ABC, our affiliates, our local stations," Kimmel said.

In January, the FCC issued what it called guidance on the equal-time rules that was widely interpreted as aimed at late-night and daytime shows that often feature Democratic politicians.

The FCC said a show that is "motivated by partisan purposes" wouldn't be entitled to an exemption.

Kimmel's remarks are a further escalation in the fight between ABC, Disney and the FCC, which has multiple proceedings against the network and its stations.

The FCC didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

The battle between ABC and the FCC began last year when FCC Chairman Brendan Carr launched a probe into Disney's diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives to determine if they violated the agency's prohibition on unlawful discrimination.

The FCC then launched an early license renewal for ABC's eight local broadcast stations. The seldom-used procedure is often a sign that the agency is preparing to challenge an owner's fitness to hold a broadcast license.

Inside ABC, executives felt that the DEI probe was really a response to commentary on some of the network's shows, including "Jimmy Kimmel Live" and daytime show "The View," both of which have been critical of the Trump administration.

ABC sued the FCC last month, alleging the agency's efforts to challenge its broadcast licenses and regulate its content are illegal and an effort to quash speech the Trump administration finds objectionable. The network asked for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction to halt the FCC's license-renewal process.

A hearing has been scheduled for Oct. 6.

Earlier this year, former CBS late-night host Stephen Colbert also canceled the airing of an interview with Talarico on his show after the network's legal team expressed concern about blowback from the FCC. That interview also ended up airing on YouTube.