ABC has abruptly taken Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show off the air following his sharp criticism of President Donald Trump and his allies over their reaction to the killing of right-wing figure Charlie Kirk. Kimmel accused MAGA supporters of trying to “spin” the incident for political gain, likening Trump’s public response to that of “a four-year-old mourning a goldfish.”
The cancellation triggered a backlash from Democrats, civil-liberties advocates, and celebrities who argue the move signals a deepening assault on free expression. Former President Barack Obama accused the administration of escalating “cancel culture” by using the threat of regulatory action to pressure networks into silencing critical voices, saying such tactics strike at the heart of the First Amendment.
Trump, speaking alongside UK Labour leader Keir Starmer, dismissed free-speech concerns, claiming Kimmel’s firing stemmed from “bad ratings” and “lack of talent,” and calling the late-night host’s comments about Kirk “horrible.” He also floated the idea that ABC’s broadcast license should be revoked, telling reporters aboard Air Force One that such action would be “up to” Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chairman Brendan Carr — a longtime Trump ally.
Carr himself warned Disney and ABC to “push back” on content that “falls short of community values,” hinting at possible regulatory repercussions. In an interview with conservative podcaster Benny Johnson, he remarked, “We can do this the easy way or the hard way.”
ABC’s decision follows the earlier cancellation of Stephen Colbert’s CBS late-night program, deepening fears of politically motivated media crackdowns. California Governor Gavin Newsom accused Republicans of “censoring you in real time,” while Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer urged a bipartisan defense of free speech.
Disney and Nexstar, which operates multiple ABC affiliates and had announced it would no longer air Kimmel’s show, both have major business interests awaiting government approval: Disney is seeking FCC clearance for ESPN’s acquisition of the NFL Network, and Nexstar is pursuing a $6.2 billion purchase of broadcaster Tegna.
In the meantime, Sinclair — the largest ABC affiliate group — demanded that Kimmel issue a public apology to Kirk’s family and make a donation to Turning Point USA. The company says it will air a Kirk memorial special in Kimmel’s former timeslot.
Kimmel, whose show averages 1.57 million viewers per episode and boasts nearly 21 million YouTube subscribers, has not commented publicly since the suspension. A representative for the comedian did not immediately respond to media requests.
