ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel’s show under pressure from Trump allies and the FCC, prompting free speech concerns and celebrations from the president.
President Donald Trump’s administration intensified its campaign against critics in the media this week, culminating in ABC’s decision to suspend Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show following remarks about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Kimmel sparked backlash Monday when he accused “the MAGA gang” of politicizing the suspect’s ideology and compared Trump’s grief to “how a 4-year-old mourns a goldfish.” Hours later, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr, a Trump appointee, warned broadcasters: “We can do this the easy way or the hard way… take action, frankly, on Kimmel, or there is going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.”
By Wednesday night, ABC confirmed the suspension. Nexstar Media Group also preempted Kimmel’s program, saying continuing to air him was “not in the public interest.”
At a press conference in Britain, Trump said Kimmel “said a horrible thing about a great gentleman known as Charlie Kirk,” adding the comedian “had very bad ratings and they should have fired him a long time ago.”
House Democrats accused Carr of “bullying ABC” and waging a “war” on free speech.
Trump later celebrated on Truth Social: “Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done.” He urged NBC to cancel other late-night hosts, writing: “Do it NBC!!!”