ABC Indefinitely Suspends Jimmy Kimmel Live! as Trump Appears to Reshape Late Night

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Jimmy Kimmel seems to be the second late-night talk show host in the United States to feel pressure from the Trump administration, leading him to change his approach to covering news and politics.

ABC announced Wednesday that *Jimmy Kimmel Live!* will be temporarily removed from the air after Nexstar Media Group, which owns many ABC stations, decided to stop broadcasting the show on those stations for the time being.

Nexstar has publicly criticized Jimmy Kimmel for recent comments he made following the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Andrew Alford, president of Nexstar’s broadcasting division, stated that Kimmel’s remarks were offensive and inappropriate, especially given the current political climate. Nexstar has decided to temporarily stop airing Kimmel’s show in its local markets, believing it’s not in the public’s best interest to continue broadcasting it while emotions are running high. The company hopes this pause will allow for a return to more respectful and productive conversations.

During his show Monday night, Kimmel accused supporters of Donald Trump – who he referred to as the “MAGA gang” – of attempting to gain political advantage from Kirk’s death.

Jimmy Kimmel criticized President Trump’s reaction to a question about the death of Kirk Douglas. Trump had talked about renovations to the White House ballroom instead of offering condolences, which Kimmel described as behaving like a child upset about a pet goldfish, rather than a mature expression of grief for a friend.

The White House responded to ABC’s decision on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “They’re doing their viewers a favor. Jimmy is a sick freak!”

On Wednesday, the head of the Federal Communications Commission, Brendan Carr, warned that he might take legal action against Jimmy Kimmel, ABC, and Disney, calling Kimmel’s behavior deeply disturbing.

Following Nexstar’s announcement regarding Kimmel, FCC Commissioner Nathan Carr praised the company on X (formerly Twitter), thanking them for “doing the right thing.” Nexstar is currently waiting for FCC approval to buy TEGNA, another broadcast company, and Carr expressed hope that other broadcasters would take similar action.

Sinclair Broadcast Group, which owns many ABC stations, stated that Jimmy Kimmel’s temporary removal from the air isn’t sufficient. They won’t resume broadcasting *Jimmy Kimmel Live!* on their channels until they’re sure proper measures have been taken to maintain the standards expected of a national television show.

Sinclair executives stated that comments made by Mr. Kimmel were unacceptable and showed poor judgment, especially given the current national climate. They emphasized that broadcasters should foster positive and respectful conversations within their communities. The company also voiced support for FCC Chairman Carr’s recent statements and argued that the FCC needs to quickly implement rules to limit the influence of major national networks over local stations.

Sinclair urged ABC to begin official talks about maintaining professional standards and taking responsibility for its actions. They also asked Kimmel to apologize to the Kirk family and contribute a significant personal donation to both the Kirk family and Turning Point USA.

Following the death of Leland Kirk, many conservatives, including Donald Trump, have accused left-leaning individuals of contributing to a hostile environment. They’ve called for repercussions – such as job loss – for those who appeared to celebrate his death or made insensitive comments. This has sparked criticism from groups who defend free speech and civil liberties.

The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, a nonpartisan group dedicated to free speech, reported that ABC News succumbed to pressure from the government. They point to ABC’s decision happening shortly after the head of the Federal Communications Commission hinted at consequences if the network didn’t cooperate. This incident, according to the Foundation, is part of a pattern where the administration punishes media outlets that are critical of it. They warned that if media organizations don’t stand up to government pressure, the country risks a situation where even late-night comedians could face repercussions for what they say.

CBS recently removed Kimmel from the airwaves, just under nine weeks after announcing that *The Late Show With Stephen Colbert* would finish after its current season-a move many believed was based on political reasons.

As a longtime fan of late-night television, I couldn’t help but notice the recent drama surrounding Jimmy Kimmel. It’s no secret that Donald Trump has often gone after Kimmel and other hosts, and he seemed pretty pleased when ABC announced the show’s cancellation. He actually posted on Truth Social celebrating it, calling it ‘great news for America’ and claiming Kimmel has ‘zero talent’ and even worse ratings than Stephen Colbert! Now, ratings aren’t everything, but it’s worth pointing out that *Jimmy Kimmel Live!* was actually doing pretty well – it was second only to Colbert in overall viewership this past quarter, and actually led the pack when it came to the key 18-49 age group. It just felt a little disingenuous to see those comments when the show was performing so strongly.

Trump then turned his attention to Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers, calling them ‘total losers’ and suggesting NBC cancel their late-night shows. He also claimed their ratings were ‘horrible’ and directly urged the network to take action.

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2025-09-18 06:06