The suspension of late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, announced abruptly by Disney-owned ABC after remarks he made about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, has escalated into a national debate over free speech and the role of government in regulating media.
Disney announced the move on Wednesday night following comments from Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair Brendan Carr, who had warned that regulators could act against ABC’s broadcast licenses if it did not address Kimmel’s remarks.
Kimmel, a frequent critic of former President Donald Trump, had accused conservatives of “desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them.”
Carr called the late-night host’s comments “sick” and “an intentional effort to mislead the American people.” Hours later, Disney confirmed that Jimmy Kimmel Live! would be taken off the air indefinitely.
Trump Welcomes Suspension
President Trump goes scorched earth on Jimmy Kimmel after he was cancelled and fired by ABC.
“Jimmy Kimmel was fired because he had bad ratings more than anything else. And he said a horrible thing about a great gentleman known as Charlie Kirk.”
“Jimmy Kimmel is not a talented… pic.twitter.com/NpP7bEsYTk
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) September 18, 2025
President Trump, traveling in the United Kingdom, dismissed concerns about censorship and instead celebrated the move.
“They should have fired him a long time ago,” Trump said. “You can call that free speech or not. He was fired for lack of talent.”
Trump also criticized other late-night hosts, calling for NBC to cancel Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers, citing what he called their “horrible” ratings.
In a separate statement, Trump added:
“Jimmy Kimmel was fired because he had bad ratings, more than anything else, and he said a horrible thing about a great gentleman known as Charlie Kirk… Jimmy Kimmel is not a talented person… and they should’ve fired him a long time ago.”
Backlash From Free Speech Advocates
The decision to suspend Jimmy Kimmel has raised alarm among free speech advocates. Critics argue that the sequence of events blurred the line between a network’s programming discretion and the government’s regulatory influence.
Former President Barack Obama strongly condemned the move, saying:
“After years of complaining about cancel culture, the current administration has taken it to a new and dangerous level by routinely threatening regulatory action against media companies unless they muzzle or fire reporters and commentators it doesn’t like.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer also criticized Carr, calling him “despicable” and urging his resignation.
Divided Republican Response
The suspension also exposed divides within the Republican Party. Former Vice President Mike Pence acknowledged employers’ rights but said he was uncomfortable with FCC pressure.
“The First Amendment doesn’t protect entertainers from being fired by their employers,” Pence said. “But I would have preferred that the FCC didn’t weigh in in the wake of this.”
Representative Chip Roy criticized Attorney General Pam Bondi’s floated idea of prosecuting hate speech, calling it a tool of tyrants.
Hollywood Reacts
Several Hollywood figures condemned the suspension, calling it censorship and warning that political pressure on networks sets a dangerous precedent.
Meanwhile, major ABC affiliates such as Nexstar Media Group refused to air Jimmy Kimmel Live! following his remarks, calling them “offensive and insensitive.”
A Precarious Role for Late-Night Hosts
Jimmy Kimmel is the latest late-night host to clash with political leaders. Once seen as entertainers offering comic relief, hosts are now increasingly viewed as partisan voices in the political landscape.
Trump has long bristled at their jokes. This week aboard Air Force One, he went further, suggesting networks that broadcast “bad publicity” about him could lose their licenses: “I would think maybe their license should be taken away,” he said.
