US president Donald Trump on Wednesday celebrated ABC’s decision to suspend Jimmy Kimmel‘s show, mocking the late-night host of having “zero talent” and praising the network for “finally having the courage to do what had to be done.” In a Truth Social post, Trump wrote: “Great News for America: The ratings challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is CANCELLED. 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. That leaves Jimmy and Seth, two total losers, on Fake News NBC. Their ratings are also horrible. Do it NBC!!! President DJT.”
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The suspension came after mounting controversy over Kimmel’s remarks about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.“Jimmy Kimmel Live will be pre-empted indefinitely,” an ABC spokesperson said. The move followed Nexstar, a major operator of ABC affiliates, announcing that it would not carry the show “for the foreseeable future,” citing strong objections to Kimmel’s comments.The controversy stems from Kimmel’s Monday night monologue, in which he accused the MAGA movement of politicizing the case of Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old charged with aggravated murder in the shooting death of Charlie Kirk. Kirk, a 31-year-old conservative commentator and activist, was shot dead in Utah last week. Robinson appeared in court on Tuesday to face charges.“The MAGA Gang (is) desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said. “In between the finger-pointing, there was grieving.”The remarks drew sharp criticism from Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chair Brendan Carr, who described Kimmel’s conduct as “the sickest possible” in an interview with podcaster Benny Johnson. Carr warned that the FCC could consider revoking affiliate licenses if broadcasters failed to take corrective action.“We can do this the easy way or the hard way,” Carr said. “These companies can find ways to change conduct and take actions on Kimmel, or there’s going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.”The Center for American Rights also filed a complaint with the FCC, insisting that satire was no excuse for violating public-interest broadcasting standards.Daniel Suhr, president of the organization in his complaint wrote, “ABC’s affiliates need to step up and hold ABC accountable as a network for passing through material that fails to respect the public-interest standard to which they are held.”“Disney as ABC’s corporate owner needs to act directly to correct this problem,” said the group’s president,” he added. Not everyone at the FCC agreed. Commissioner Anna Gomez, the body’s lone Democrat, criticized the administration’s handling of the issue. In a post on X, Gomez said, “The Trump administration is increasingly using the weight of government power to suppress lawful expression.” She warned that “to surrender our right to speak freely is to accept that those in power, not the people, will set the boundaries of debate that define a free society.”The suspension comes just weeks after CBS announced it would cancel The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in 2026, marking its exit from late-night television. CBS cited financial pressures and its upcoming merger with Skydance Media, though the move followed a legal settlement with President and growing tension over Colbert’s sharp criticism of his administration.Kimmel has long been a target of Trump’s criticism, particularly for his monologues skewering the president and his supporters.After his suspension was confirmed, the White House rapid response account called the comedian “a sick freak” and said ABC was “doing their viewers a favor.”
