US President Donald Trump launched a fresh tirade against ABC after the network announced the return of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, weeks after suspending the late-night show over controversial remarks about conservative MAGA activist Charlie Kirk’s assassination.Trump, who has repeatedly sparred with Jimmy in the past, reacted furiously to ABC’s decision branding the late-night host a “Democrat garbage.”“I can’t believe ABC Fake News gave Jimmy Kimmel his job back. The White House was told by ABC that his Show was cancelled! Something happened between then and now because his audience is GONE, and his “talent” was never there. Why would they want someone back who does so poorly, who’s not funny, and who puts the Network in jeopardy by playing 99% positive Democrat GARBAGE,” Trump posted on Truth Social.The president accused ABC of making an “illegal campaign contribution” by keeping him on air. He further warned ABC that he intends to “test” them once again, mocking the network as “a true bunch of losers.”“I think we’re going to test ABC out on this. Let’s see how we do. Last time I went after them, they gave me $16 Million Dollars. This one sounds even more lucrative. A true bunch of losers! Let Jimmy Kimmel rot in his bad Ratings,” he added.Disney-owned ABC said the show would resume on Tuesday, with the decision made after what it described as “thoughtful conversations” with Jimmy. “We have spent the last days having thoughtful conversations with Jimmy, and after those conversations, we reached the decision to return the show on Tuesday,” the network was quoted as saying by the Associated Press.Earlier, Trump also threw shade at Jimmy’s late night show during his Charlie Kirk memorial speech, and went on to criticise “wrong pronoun, commentators and influencers” who “greeted his assassination with sick approval.”Calling out those who “fascism over a cancelled late night TV show,” referring to Jimmy’s show, he declared that the anchor had “no talent and no ratings.”
What led to Jimmy’s suspension
Jimmy’s suspension followed his pointed comments about Kirk, a vocal right-wing activist shot dead in Utah on September 10.The show had been pulled indefinitely after Jimmy suggested during a monologue that “many in MAGA land are working very hard to capitalise on the murder of Charlie Kirk” and accused “the MAGA gang” of trying to distance themselves from the shooter.The remarks triggered swift backlash, with major ABC affiliate owners Nexstar and Sinclair pulling the program from their stations, while fellow comedians voiced support for Jimmy.Disney explained its earlier suspension as an attempt to “avoid further inflaming a tense situation at an emotional moment for our country,” adding that the timing of Jimmy’s remarks had been “ill-timed and thus insensitive.”A day after the killing, Kimmel himself had condemned the “senseless murder” of Kirk and criticised those who appeared to celebrate the activist’s death, while also accusing Trump of politicising the tragedy by casting blame on the “radical left.”Despite the controversy, ABC has stood by the comedian, who has hosted Jimmy Kimmel Live! since 2003 and four times fronted the Academy Awards. For Trump, however, the return of his long-time critic was nothing short of “bad news for America.”
