In a shocking and cowardly turn of events last night, ABC announced that “Jimmy Kimmel Live” had been suspended “indefinitely” following remarks its host made about the recently assassinated conservative activist Charlie Kirk. According to multiple reports, the decision came under direct pressure from the Trump administration, with FCC chair Brendan Carr, a vocal Trump ally, publicly threatening regulatory retaliation if the network didn’t act.
The first blow came from Nexstar and Sinclair—two of the largest U.S. station groups, already angling for major mergers and favorable rulings before Trump’s FCC—who abruptly announced they were pulling Kimmel’s show from their ABC affiliates “for the foreseeable future.” Their move effectively forced ABC’s hand, leaving the network little choice but to fall in line. For corporate behemoths with business before the government, it looked less like editorial judgment and more like self-preservation and self-interest to grease the wheels on their lobbying in Washington.
Kimmel’s monologue itself was relatively tame. He mocked Donald Trump for his insensitive and disinterested response to Kirk’s murder, noting the president seemed more concerned with hyping his White House ballroom than memorializing a man he once called “a dear friend.” The comedian went further, skewering MAGA figures scrambling to distance themselves from the shooter while shamelessly exploiting Kirk’s death for political gain. “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang 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.
Both Nexstar and Sinclair have been lobbying the FCC over regulatory issues. Nexstar, the largest station group in the country, also has a major merger before the Trump administration—its proposed acquisition of Tegna, which would create a mega-company with 265 stations in 44 states and the District of Columbia, representing 80% of U.S. TV households. With Carr leading the commission and Trump openly hostile to Kimmel, the entire affair reeks of corruption, back scratching, and collusion. Clearly, Kimmel’s mild comments were never the real issue — they provided the perfect opportunity to weaponize Kirk’s death and take out a vocal critic of the administration.
This is not the first politically motivated attack the FCC has leveled against ABC. In March 2025, Carr opened an investigation into Disney and ABC’s diversity, equity, and inclusion policies, echoing conservative complaints about so-called “race-based quotas.” That probe remains ongoing, another clear example of political muscle being flexed to intimidate corporate media.
The suspension of Kimmel also comes in the wake of Stephen Colbert’s abrupt cancellation earlier this year—another late-night host and one of Trump’s most relentless critics. Trump has long loathed both men, branding them enemies, and he wasted no time celebrating Kimmel’s silencing on Truth Social, posting gloating remarks within minutes of ABC’s announcement. And in true authoritarian fashion, so-called “free speech warriors” on the right applauded, cheering the censorship of a critic simply for mocking the president.
It’s the playbook of fascism: silence dissent, weaponize institutions, and demand loyalty from corporate partners. One could even joke that Seth Meyers or Jimmy Fallon might be next, though Fallon is too toothless to register, and Meyers’ smaller audience doesn’t cross Trump’s radar. Mainstream network late-night, however, has always been Trump’s domain of obsession—and maybe “SNL” should be worried.
Meanwhile, Sinclair insists that Kimmel not just apologize to Kirk’s family but also donate to Kirk’s multi-billion-dollar Turning Point USA organization. In Kimmel’s vacated slot, Sinclair stations are preparing to air a hasty special “tribute” to Kirk this Friday. ABC has been filling its usual 11:35 p.m. hour with reruns of “Celebrity Family Feud,” while affiliate station owners have been told in memos that “formal guidance from Disney/ABC is forthcoming.”
The bitter irony is unavoidable: Kirk styled himself a “free speech warrior,” spewing daily doses of hateful rhetoric, while Kimmel—who dared to lampoon power—has been taken off the air. ABC, a company that claims to stand against hate speech and promote anti-racist values, has instead given a platform to Kirk’s sanctification.
And already, the backlash is building. Protests have erupted outside Kimmel’s Hollywood studio, with demonstrators demanding the show’s reinstatement. At the same time, House Democrats are blasting the suspension as a dubious, politically corrupt decision, warning that it represents a dangerous precedent for censorship under government pressure.
SAG-AFTRA also issued a statement condemning the move. “Democracy thrives when diverse points of view are expressed. The decision to suspend airing ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’ is the type of suppression and retaliation that endangers everyone’s freedoms,” the union said, calling the action a dangerous escalation against free expression in broadcast media.
Watch the in-question monologue from “Jimmy Kimmel Live” below.
Rodrigo Perez is the founder and editor-in-chief of The Playlist, which he launched in 2008. He has worked in entertainment journalism since 2000, including at MTV, and has written for SPIN, IndieWire, Pitchfork, Complex, Magnet, and various music, film, and entertainment publications over the past two decades.
