ABC has suspended its late-night program “Jimmy Kimmel Live” indefinitely following comments made by host Jimmy Kimmel regarding the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The decision has created a firestorm, drawing praise from President Donald Trump while sparking a debate over government influence and free speech.
The controversy began during Kimmel’s Monday monologue, where he addressed the killing of Charlie Kirk, who was shot at a Utah university. A 22-year-old suspect has been charged with his murder. Kimmel suggested that the “Maga Gang” was attempting to use the killing for political gain and that the shooter was “one of them.”
The remarks were met with swift action from major broadcasters. Nexstar Media Group, which owns and operates over 200 stations, announced it would preempt the show indefinitely, stating that Kimmel’s comments were “offensive and insensitive.” Sinclair Broadcast Group, another large station owner, followed suit, demanding that Kimmel apologize to Kirk’s family and make a “meaningful personal donation” to them and to Turning Point USA.
While a private company like ABC has the right to decide what content it airs, the controversy escalated when a government official intervened. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, a Trump appointee, publicly urged broadcasters to stop airing Kimmel’s show and praised Nexstar for its decision. Carr suggested that a pattern of “distorted comment” could lead to fines or license revocations, telling Disney that the commission could “do this the easy way or the hard way.”
Critics quickly highlighted that the First Amendment protects against government infringement on free speech, not the actions of private companies. FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, the sole Democrat on the commission, criticized Carr’s remarks, stating they were a justification for “broader censorship.” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer also weighed in, saying, “This is about protecting democracy. This must go to court.”
In contrast, other commentators have pointed to a perceived double standard. On social media, writer Nick Sorter stated, “Leftists are MELTING DOWN over Disney/ABC pulling Jimmy Kimmel, saying it’s a ‘violation of free speech’…But they were RADIO SILENT when Disney FIRED @ginacarano for speaking out against COVID mandates. They can ALL shut the hell up.”
Hollywood figures and labor unions condemned the suspension as a form of suppression. The Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA both released statements framing the move as a threat to free expression. As the WGA stated, “If free speech applied only to ideas we like, we needn’t have bothered to write it into the Constitution.”
The incident is part of a larger pattern of public figures facing consequences for comments made about the killing. MSNBC fired analyst Matthew Dowd, and columnist Karen Attiah was dismissed from the Washington Post. The controversy also comes as networks have been under political and financial pressure, including recent defamation lawsuits filed by President Trump against both ABC and CBS.
