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US President Donald Trump hailed ABC’s suspension of Jimmy Kimmel as “great news for America” while mocking other late-night hosts
Late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel. (REUTERS)
ABC, one of America’s biggest television networks and owned by Disney, has suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live! “indefinitely.” The late-night comedy show, hosted by veteran comedian Jimmy Kimmel since 2003, is a nightly mix of celebrity interviews, satire and political commentary that attracts millions of viewers in the United States.
The drastic decision came after Kimmel’s sharp remarks about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, a 31-year-old close ally of US President Donald Trump who founded the right-wing youth group Turning Point USA. Kirk was shot dead last week while speaking at Utah Valley University. His death has rattled American politics, and Kimmel’s monologues about it ignited a backlash from Trump allies, regulators, and major broadcasters.
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What Kimmel Said In His Monologues
The uproar stems from two nights of monologues. On Monday, less than a week after Kirk’s killing, Kimmel accused Trump’s supporters in the MAGA (Make America Great Again) movement of trying to disown the killer, Tyler Robinson. Robinson, 22, has been charged with aggravated murder, firearm offences and witness tampering, and could face the death penalty.
“We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang trying to characterise this kid who killed Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said.
The following night, he escalated his criticism: “Many in Maga-land are working very hard to capitalise on the murder of Charlie Kirk.” He targeted Vice-President JD Vance, who had claimed that “most of the lunatics in American politics today are proud members of the far left.” Kimmel dismissed this as “complete bullshit,” citing research that far-right groups were responsible for most extremist violence in the US. The Department of Justice has since removed that study from its website.
He added a pointed question: “Who wanted to hang the guy who was vice president before you? Was that the liberal left? Or the toothless army who stormed the Capitol on January 6?” This was a reference to the 2021 insurrection in Washington, when Trump supporters stormed the US Congress in an attempt to block the certification of Joe Biden’s election win.
Kimmel also mocked Trump’s personal response to Kirk’s death. In interviews, Trump spoke of Kirk’s killing while digressing into plans to build a grand ballroom at the White House. “He’s at the fourth stage of grief, construction,” Kimmel quipped. “This is not how an adult grieves the murder of someone he called a friend. This is how a 4-year-old mourns a goldfish.”
In another segment, Trump’s focus on chandeliers and renovations prompted Kimmel to joke: “Is it possible that he’s doing it intentionally, so we could be mad about that instead of the Epstein list?”
When Trump advised supporters to take “revenge at the voter” in the ballot box, but then questioned whether ballot boxes existed in California, Kimmel responded: “Oh, well, in that case, begin the purge. For the record, we live in California. We do have ballot boxes. We’ve got mailboxes. We have lunch boxes. We have all kinds of boxes.”
The Shooter’s Politics And The Dispute
Prosecutors have said Robinson expressed “hatred” toward Kirk in private messages, but they have not specified which of Kirk’s views he opposed. His mother told investigators her son had recently shifted towards left-leaning views, becoming “more pro-gay and trans-rights oriented.” This contrasted with Kimmel’s portrayal of him as aligned with MAGA.
Conservative activists seized on this point, accusing Kimmel of smearing their movement. It became the crux of the backlash, amplified by the Trump administration and right-wing media.
Brendan Carr, the chair of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the US regulator that oversees broadcast licences, accused Kimmel of a “concerted effort to lie to the American people” and threatened regulatory action.
How Broadcasters Responded
Carr’s warnings were swiftly followed by moves from powerful station owners. Nexstar Media, one of the biggest US operators of local ABC stations, announced it would pre-empt Jimmy Kimmel Live! “for the foreseeable future.” Andrew Alford, Nexstar’s broadcasting president, called the remarks “offensive and insensitive at a critical time in our national political discourse.”
Sinclair Broadcast Group, which owns even more ABC affiliates, also pulled the show. It announced it would air a tribute to Kirk during Kimmel’s slot and demanded that Kimmel apologise and make a personal donation to Kirk’s family and Turning Point USA.
With both groups refusing to broadcast the programme, ABC had little choice but to act nationally. A network spokesperson confirmed late on Wednesday that the show was being “pre-empted indefinitely.” According to a report in The New York Times, the decision inside Disney was made by chief executive Robert Iger and television chief Dana Walden. Kimmel had reportedly planned to address the controversy in his Wednesday show, but the suspension was imposed before taping began.
The FCC And Political Pressure
The FCC chair’s intervention was described by US media as unusual, given that the regulator typically does not comment on specific programmes. Carr said on a podcast that stations airing Kimmel risked “fines or licence revocation,” warning broadcasters they could “do this the easy way or the hard way.”
Later, Carr praised Nexstar and Sinclair for “doing the right thing,” calling the preemptions “unprecedented” but necessary. He told Fox News that broadcasters were standing up to local communities against “progressive foie gras coming out from New York and Hollywood.”
Democrats condemned the move. Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer said it was “despicable” and compared it to censorship tactics in Russia and China. “Whether you agree with Kimmel or not, he has the right to free speech,” he told CNN.
The suspension also fits into a wider pattern of tension between the Trump administration and critical media. Trump has previously sued ABC, settled a lawsuit for $16 million, and filed a defamation case against The New York Times. CBS, another major network, recently cancelled Stephen Colbert’s Late Show, officially for financial reasons, though industry observers linked it to regulatory pressure during a merger review.
Trump’s Response
Trump himself hailed ABC’s decision. Posting on Truth Social from Britain, where he was on a state visit, he wrote: “Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done. Kimmel has ZERO talent, and worse ratings than even Colbert, if that’s possible.”
He also used the moment to attack other late-night hosts, calling NBC’s Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers “total losers” and suggesting their networks should also consider removing them.
Trump has long had a fraught relationship with late-night comedy. During his first presidency, shows like Kimmel’s, Colbert’s and others made him a constant subject of satire, something he saw as unfair ridicule.
What Happens Next
Jimmy Kimmel Live! has been part of ABC’s late-night schedule since 2003 and was nominated for three Emmy categories this year. Its indefinite suspension marks one of the biggest breaks in the US late-night format in decades.
Kimmel himself has yet to issue a statement. Whether he apologises, defends his comments, or seeks a platform outside ABC will determine the future of his two-decade career.
About the Author
Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at News18.com, writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follow her @kar…Read More
Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at News18.com, writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follow her @kar… Read More
September 18, 2025, 09:33 IST
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