A media firestorm erupted this week after Jimmy Kimmel was criticized for several controversial monologues about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, drawing the ire of X owner Elon Musk.
Musk condemned Kimmel on Tuesday night after a viral monologue in which the comedian mocked President Donald Trump’s reaction to Kirk’s death. The Tesla CEO called Kimmel “disgusting,” accusing him of making light of a tragedy for the sake of entertainment.
ABC announced Wednesday it was pulling Jimmy Kimmel Live! from its lineup “indefinitely.”
Jimmy Kimmel is disgusting
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 17, 2025
On Monday’s episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Kimmel criticized how Trump has handled public questions about Kirk’s death. The 31-year-old conservative activist was shot and killed on Sept. 10 while speaking at a Utah college.
When asked how he was coping with the loss outside the White House on Monday, Trump pivoted to discussing the construction of a $200 million ballroom at the White House.
“He’s at the fourth stage of grief: construction,” Kimmel said.
The host continued, “This is not how an adult grieves the murder of someone he called a friend. This is how a four-year-old mourns a goldfish, OK?”
But it wasn’t just the satire of Trump that drew backlash — it was Kimmel’s political framing of the assassination that reportedly triggered the decision at ABC. During the monologue, Kimmel suggested the alleged shooter, Tyler Robinson, might have been a pro-Trump Republican — a claim contrary to law enforcement statements that Robinson held extreme left-wing views.
Kimmel took aim at Vice President JD Vance, who recently appeared on Kirk’s podcast from inside the White House.
The late-night host criticized Vance for blaming the left for the violence against Kirk, noting that he did so “from the White House, where he pointed his little, mascara-stained finger directly at the left.”
“The MAGA gang is desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said without evidence.
The remark — implying that a right-wing figure was killed by someone possibly aligned with the same political camp — sparked outrage on social media, with conservatives accusing Kimmel of politicizing a murder and spreading misinformation.
Law enforcement officials, including Utah’s governor, have repeatedly said Robinson held extreme left-wing views.
In a rare escalation, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr publicly warned of possible federal consequences, saying the commission is exploring whether Kimmel’s remarks violated broadcast standards.
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By Wednesday, the fallout reached network leadership. A spokesperson for Disney’s ABC confirmed that Jimmy Kimmel Live! will be “preempted indefinitely,” beginning with Wednesday night’s show.
Kimmel’s segment has ignited fierce debate over the boundaries of political satire in the wake of a real tragedy.