Trump’s attacks on Kimmel and ABC put him at odds with high-profile conservatives

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Jimmy Kimmel’s return to television created an unusual situation: he briefly found himself agreeing with conservatives. They, like him, opposed attempts by government regulators to limit his speech, even while President Trump was still critical of the network airing his show.

On Tuesday night, Kimmel thanked those who disagree with his show and his views, but still respect his right to express them.

Recently, Trump has been increasingly using lawsuits and government actions to try and silence his political opponents and address what he sees as unfair reporting from the media. This approach is starting to worry both his base and prominent conservative figures.

A controversy erupted after Jimmy Kimmel made comments about some people seemingly trying to benefit politically from the death of Charlie Kirk. Brendan Carr, a supporter of Donald Trump and head of the Federal Communications Commission, responded on a conservative podcast, calling Kimmel’s comments “disgusting” and hinting that local TV stations airing his show might face regulatory scrutiny if they weren’t seen as serving the public good.

Following Disney’s decision to pause “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” on ABC last week, several prominent supporters of Donald Trump expressed concern that government regulation of speech was becoming excessive. They worried that conservatives might face similar restrictions if the government were to act on this approach.

Senator Ted Cruz warned on his podcast, “Verdict With Ted Cruz,” that if the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) revokes licenses from broadcasters based on disagreements with their views, a future Democratic president could use that power to silence conservative voices. Cruz, who has criticized Jimmy Kimmel in the past, previously compared these actions to intimidation tactics, and he believes this sets a dangerous precedent that could lead to widespread censorship.

Television

Jimmy Kimmel was back on his ABC late-night show Tuesday, where he spoke about the controversy surrounding his remarks about Charlie Kirk and expressed gratitude for the support he received over the last week.

However, Trump was upset by Kimmel’s response and said he would sue, which he has done before with other major news organizations when they’ve published stories he disagreed with.

On Tuesday, Trump posted on social media that they plan to test a legal challenge against ABC, hinting a lawsuit could result in a significant financial settlement. He also harshly criticized the network and late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, calling them ‘losers’ and wishing for Kimmel’s show to fail.

The combination of Trump’s legal challenges and comments from FCC Commissioner Nathan Carr has sparked a major discussion about free speech. Some believe they’re working to ensure conservative viewpoints aren’t unfairly silenced, while others see it as a coordinated and unlawful effort to suppress liberal voices. This has put Carr, who contributed to a chapter on the FCC in the conservative ‘Project 2025’ plan, under intense media scrutiny and led to a congressional investigation.

Senator Adam Schiff and eight other Democratic senators sent a letter to FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr on Wednesday. They voiced serious concerns about the FCC’s possible involvement in Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension and requested a full explanation of what role, if any, the agency played and why.

In a letter, the senators stated that the FCC wasn’t meant to use its power over broadcast licenses to punish or silence critical voices, including satire. They emphasized that the FCC’s job is to serve the public, not to take action against news organizations simply because those in charge disagree with their reporting.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta has sent a letter to Ken Paxton, arguing that the Trump administration previously targeted individuals who criticized it. Bonta is urging Paxton to reaffirm his commitment to protecting free speech and to retract his past comments about Jimmy Kimmel.

After Jimmy Kimmel took a leave of absence, several prominent conservatives, including Ted Cruz, who have often criticized the late-night host, expressed concerns that the Federal Communications Commission might be attempting to control what’s said on television and radio.

Mitch McConnell, a former Republican leader in the Senate, stated in a social media post on Monday that you can disagree with something you hear on television while still believing the government should stay out of it.

Joe Rogan stated he believes the government shouldn’t regulate what comedians say in their routines. He also cautioned conservatives, saying it’s misguided to think these kinds of restrictions wouldn’t be applied to them in the future. Candace Owens, a prominent conservative voice, described Jimmy Kimmel’s recent suspension as a free speech issue and expressed her opposition to government control over speech.

Ben Shapiro raised concerns about potential government overreach.

Look, as a film fan, I really don’t want the government, specifically the FCC, getting involved in deciding what local stations can and can’t broadcast just because they disagree with the content. Ben Shapiro made a good point – he basically said that if the FCC starts pulling licenses over what *they* consider ‘false information,’ it won’t be long before *someone else* decides what’s true and starts censoring things *they* don’t like. It’s a slippery slope, you know?

Tucker Carlson, a conservative podcast host, recently stated he hopes people don’t use the death of Kirk as an excuse to limit free speech, arguing that protecting free speech was central to Kirk’s life’s work.

Carlson expressed concern that the unrest following the murder wouldn’t be used as an excuse to pass laws restricting free speech.

Kimmel started his show by echoing the criticism of Carr, calling his methods “un-American” and comparing them to practices seen in countries with strict, authoritarian governments like Russia.

He actually said the show itself didn’t really *matter*. What struck me, though, was his point that the real significance was simply *having* the freedom to even *have* a show like it – living in a country that allows for that kind of expression. It really made me think.

During a recent podcast appearance, Carr strongly condemned Kimmel’s comments regarding the man accused of shooting Kirk. He stated that such behavior was deeply disturbing and suggested there were two paths forward: Kimmel could change his conduct voluntarily, or the Federal Communications Commission might be compelled to take action.

On Monday, Carr refuted allegations that he’d threatened to revoke broadcasting licenses or was involved in Kimmel’s suspension, stating firmly that those claims were false.

Television

I was really surprised to see Roseanne Barr recently talking to NewsNation about everything that happened with her tweet seven years ago. She basically said her whole life was ruined by it, just before Jimmy Kimmel came back to ABC. It’s still a pretty raw subject, and it was interesting to hear her perspective on it all.

He stated at a New York conference that Democrats are falsely portraying the FCC’s work, claiming they are using misleading tactics and misrepresenting the facts.

Commissioner Carr explained that the FCC aims to give local television stations more control over the programming they air. This would allow them to reject content from national providers if station owners believe it doesn’t suit their local communities’ needs and preferences.

According to Carr, local TV stations recently took a stand and refused to broadcast Jimmy Kimmel’s show, something they haven’t done in a while. Disney, which distributes the show nationally, then decided to temporarily pull it off the air as a business decision.

When Disney revived the show, two major station groups, Sinclair Broadcast Group and Nexstar Media Group, announced they wouldn’t air it on their local ABC stations, suggesting potential future disagreements within the media industry.

Carr began his plan for the FCC, outlined in Project 2025, by stating the agency should “support free speech.” However, he’s also echoed Trump’s criticisms of broadcasters accused of leaning against conservatives, and indicated he’d use the FCC’s authority to make sure they better meet the needs of the public.

Bob Shrum, who leads the USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future, noted that the recent controversy surrounding Jimmy Kimmel has been noteworthy. He highlighted the unusual, united criticism of the suspension and the suggestion that the White House played a role in it.

It’s positive that concerns about this issue aren’t limited to one party; even Republicans like Ted Cruz have voiced objections,” Shrum noted. “This bipartisan criticism could discourage the federal government from overstepping its bounds in the future.”

Although Trump was upset by Kimmel’s jokes, Gary Shrum pointed out that Trump’s social media post – ending with a wish for Kimmel’s failure – revealed the president’s frustration that he couldn’t actually get Kimmel taken off television. It highlighted the boundaries of Trump’s influence.

“That’s not the kind of last line that says, ‘We’re coming after you,’” Shrum said.

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2025-09-25 01:33