Disney-owned ABC has pulled Jimmy Kimmel Live off the air indefinitely after the host triggered controversy with remarks about Charlie Kirk’s alleged killer.
“Jimmy Kimmel Live shall be preempted indefinitely,” an ABC spokesperson mentioned, declining to share any additional particulars.
Prosecutors have charged 22-year-old Tyler Robinson with Kirk’s homicide. Robinson is accused of getting shot and killed Kirk whereas the conservative activist was talking at Utah Valley University on September 10. Robinson surrendered after a two-day manhunt.
Here’s what Kimmel mentioned that led to outrage amongst conservatives, and what the ABC and others have mentioned since:
What occurred?
In his opening monologue on Monday, Kimmel, a vocal critic of US President Donald Trump, accused “the MAGA gang” of attempting to “rating political factors” from Kirk’s homicide, saying they have been fast responsible the left earlier than a lot was recognized concerning the shooter’s motives. MAGA, or “Make America Great Again”, is the right-wing political motion that varieties Trump’s base.
“The MAGA gang (is) desperately attempting to characterise this child who murdered Charlie Kirk as something apart from one in every of them and doing every little thing they will to attain political factors from it,” Kimmel mentioned on his present. “In between the finger-pointing, there was grieving,” he added.
He continued to criticise Trump’s response to the capturing.
“This just isn’t how an grownup grieves the homicide of somebody he calls a pal. This is how a four-year-old mourns a goldfish,” Kimmel added.
The remarks angered conservatives and triggered pushback from the Trump administration.
Brian Kilmeade can preserve his job after saying we must always kill the homeless, however Jimmy Kimmel will get suspended for this? pic.twitter.com/now6OJqQ8r
— Mike Nellis (@MikeNellis) September 18, 2025
“What he mentioned on Monday was he instructed the suspected shooter of Charlie Kirk was a pro-Trump Republican,” Al Jazeera’s Heidi Zhou-Castro famous, including that Kimmel spoke earlier than authorities launched textual content messages displaying the suspected killer was truly politically against Kirk.
The subsequent day, Robinson appeared in court docket, charged with aggravated homicide. A exact motive stays unclear, however in court docket paperwork, prosecutors have cited his family telling them that he had veered to the left politically lately, and thought Kirk was stuffed with hate.
In textual content messages to his flatmate and romantic associate after Kirk’s assassination, Robinson mentioned: “I had sufficient of his hatred.” Then, in a separate message, he added: “Some hate can’t be negotiated out.”
Yet Kimmel returned to the subject on Tuesday night time, the place he accused Trump of “fanning the flames” by attacking folks on the left. The Trump administration has mentioned it would crack down on left-wing teams, whom it accuses of ratcheting up hate in opposition to conservatives. On Wednesday, Trump additionally mentioned that he deliberate to designate the Antifa left-wing political motion a “terrorist” organisation.
Brendan Carr, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), instructed right-wing podcaster Benny Johnson on Wednesday that he had a robust case for taking motion in opposition to Kimmel, ABC and Disney. The FCC is answerable for granting licences to broadcasters such because the ABC and its associates.
“This is a really, very critical concern proper now for Disney,” Carr mentioned. “They have a licence granted by us on the FCC, and that comes with it an obligation to function within the public curiosity.”
According to a Bloomberg report, quoting sources, Kimmel had deliberate to deal with the backlash on his present on Wednesday and rehearsed it that morning.
Carr additionally urged media corporations that personal native tv stations to “push again”.
What was the fallout?
Nexstar, which owns a number of ABC associates, appeared to observe that decision, saying it might drop Jimmy Kimmel Live from its associates even earlier than ABC itself confirmed the suspension.
The firm mentioned on Wednesday it might not air the present “for the foreseeable future, starting with tonight’s present”.
Kimmel’s remarks about Kirk have been “offensive and insensitive at a essential time in our nationwide political discourse,” Nexstar added.
Carr expressed approval for Nexstar’s determination, thanking them “for doing the fitting factor”.
Nexstar, which describes itself because the nation’s largest native tv and media firm, wants FCC approval for its $6.2bn deal to amass smaller rival Tegna.
I need to thank Nexstar for doing the fitting factor.
Local broadcasters have an obligation to serve the general public curiosity. While this can be an unprecedented determination, it is necessary for broadcasters to push again on Disney programming that they decide falls in need of group… https://t.co/Px5boYbqNR
— Brendan Carr (@BrendanCarrFCC) September 17, 2025
What was Trump’s response?
Trump described it as “nice information for America” shortly after ABC revealed Kimmel had been suspended.
“The scores challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is CANCELLED. Congratulations to ABC for lastly having the braveness to do what needed to be accomplished,” Trump mentioned.
He then criticised two different late-night hosts, Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers, who he described as “two complete losers, on Fake News NBC. Their scores are additionally horrible.”
JD Vance, the US vice chairman, earlier this week urged Americans to show in fellow residents who mocked the assassination.
In July, after CBS cancelled The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Trump mentioned: “I completely love that Colbert acquired fired. His expertise was even lower than his scores. I hear Jimmy Kimmel is subsequent. Has even much less expertise than Colbert!”
CBS mentioned the ‘Late Show’ was dropped for monetary causes however its timing, three days after Colbert blasted a settlement between Trump and CBS guardian firm Paramount, led two senators to query whether or not politics have been at play.
“Great News for America: The scores challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is CANCELLED. Congratulations to @ABC for lastly having the braveness to do what needed to be accomplished…” – President Donald J. Trump pic.twitter.com/Vhj6DQSssu
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) September 18, 2025
Who is Jimmy Kimmel?
Jimmy Kimmel is among the many most recognisable figures in US late-night tv. He has hosted Jimmy Kimmel Live on ABC since 2003, making him one of many longest-serving talk-show hosts nonetheless on air.
Before breaking into tv, Kimmel constructed his profession in radio, working as a bunch in Seattle, Tampa, and Tucson earlier than ultimately transferring to Los Angeles, the place he transitioned into TV.
Over the years, Kimmel has develop into recognized for his monologues, movie star interviews and viral comedy segments. He has additionally taken on a extra political edge lately, continuously criticising Trump and weighing in on social debates.
Kimmel has additionally hosted Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, which gained him an Emmy, and large stay occasions just like the Oscars.
In latest years, in keeping with experiences, Kimmel has scaled again his workload, usually taking summers off from the present. His present contract with ABC is ready to run out in lower than a 12 months, elevating questions on whether or not he’ll prolong his run or step away after 20 years on air.
When his contract extension was introduced, he joked, “After 20 years at ABC, I’m now trying ahead to 3 years of what they name ‘quiet quitting.’”
How widespread was his present?
Late-night viewership, like a lot of conventional tv, has been declining as audiences migrate to streaming platforms and social media.
According to Nielsen, a United States media viewers measurement agency, Jimmy Kimmel Live drew a median of 1.57 million viewers per episode throughout the broadcast season that resulted in May.
During the identical interval, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert led the sector, averaging 1.9 million viewers.
The US Television Database confirmed Jimmy Kimmel Live attracting about 1.1 million viewers per episode – a 0.35 p.c ranking, down 11 p.c from the earlier month – based mostly on viewers measurements for the interval ending August 31, 2025.
