President Donald Trump resurrected calls on Thursday for late-night host Jimmy Kimmel’s show to be canceled, nearly two months after the comedian was briefly suspended for controversial remarks he made about political activist Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
“Why does ABC Fake News keep Jimmy Kimmel, a man with NO TALENT and VERY POOR TELEVISION RATINGS, on the air?” Trump questioned.
“Why do the TV Syndicates put up with it? Also, totally biased coverage. Get the bum off the air!!!” he added.
The president’s message to Truth Social comes after he was among those in September who celebrated Kimmel’s brief suspension for making remarks linking “the MAGA gang” to Kirk’s murder. Kimmel’s comments, made during a late-night monologue, sparked backlash from those who pointed to evidence that Kirk’s suspected killer held left-wing views.
ABC suspended Kimmel’s show for under a week due to the controversy.
The move sparked praise from some, such as Trump, who framed it as “consequence” culture. Others condemned the move, saying it came after pressure from the Trump administration, particularly Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr, arguing it undermined free speech protections and contributed to “cancel” culture.
When the comedian returned, he declined to offer a direct apology, but said “it was never my intention to blame any specific group.”
“Political satire is one of the oldest and most important forms of free speech,” Kimmel said, claiming the Trump administration had thrown that right to the wayside by allegedly bullying ABC into briefly suspending him.
WHO IS BRENDAN CARR, THE MAN AT THE CENTER OF THE KIMMEL SUSPENSION CONTROVERSY?
Kimmel’s late-night show is among many that have struggled with ratings in recent years.
Comedian Stephen Colbert’s CBS show, which has been similarly attacked by Trump, was recently axed for “financial” reasons, leading the president to issue a celebratory statement hailing “great news for America.”