LONDON (BN240 — President Donald Trump on Thursday applauded ABC’s suspension of late-night comedian Jimmy Kimmel, calling it justified after what he described as “horrible” remarks about slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Trump also renewed threats to revoke broadcast licenses from networks he says unfairly attack his administration, escalating tensions over free speech and government pressure on media.
Speaking alongside British Prime Minister Keir Starmer during his state visit to the United Kingdom, Trump said Kimmel “was fired for lack of talent” after mocking Republican reactions to Kirk’s assassination during monologues on Monday and Tuesday. “You can call it free speech or not,” Trump said. “He said a horrible thing about a great gentleman known as Charlie Kirk.”
ABC, owned by Walt Disney Co., announced Wednesday that it was indefinitely suspending Jimmy Kimmel Live, which has aired since 2003. The move followed statements from major station owners Nexstar and Sinclair that they would pull the program from local affiliates. Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr also suggested he would review Kimmel’s commentary about Kirk, sparking alarm from press freedom advocates.
The suspension has been denounced by Democrats, labor unions, and civil liberties groups as government coercion. Former President Barack Obama said Trump’s administration was weaponizing regulatory threats against broadcasters. “After years of complaining about cancel culture, the current administration has taken it to a new and dangerous level,” Obama said. “Threatening media companies unless they muzzle reporters and commentators it doesn’t like is censorship by another name.”
The American Civil Liberties Union called the pressure campaign unconstitutional, while Hollywood guilds representing writers and performers said Kimmel’s suspension was an attack on dissent.
Kimmel, a frequent critic of Trump, had accused Trump’s supporters of exploiting Kirk’s murder “to score political points.” Kirk, 31, was gunned down on Sept. 10 while speaking at a Utah university event organized by Turning Point USA, the pro-Trump group he founded. A 22-year-old student has been charged with his killing.
Trump and his allies, however, have portrayed Kirk as a martyr and condemned critics as disrespectful. “All they do is hit Trump,” the president said on Air Force One, reiterating that broadcast licenses “maybe should be taken away” from networks that air negative coverage. Federal law bars the FCC from revoking licenses based on editorial content.
The backlash underscores a broader national battle over free speech, political polarization, and media independence. Conservatives argue they are fighting against “hate speech” that they claim can fuel violence, while Democrats warn that Trump is using his office to silence dissenting voices.
ABC has not said Kimmel was fired, and the comedian has not publicly commented on the suspension. According to Nielsen ratings, Jimmy Kimmel Live averaged 1.57 million viewers during the most recent television season, part of a broader decline in late-night TV viewership as audiences shift to streaming.
Kirk’s death continues to divide opinion. Admirers hail him as a staunch defender of conservative values and open debate, while critics point to his embrace of Christian nationalism, opposition to immigration, and disparaging remarks about minorities and LGBTQ Americans.
For Trump, the suspension of one of his most prominent media critics is both a symbolic victory and a test of his administration’s willingness to push the limits of U.S. constitutional protections for free speech.
