Trump Celebrates Jimmy Kimmel's Suspension Amid Backlash Over Charlie Kirk Comments:

Washington, D.C. — Former President Donald Trump is facing renewed criticism after celebrating the indefinite suspension of late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, whose popular ABC show was pulled off air following controversial remarks about conservative activist Charlie Kirk. In a series of posts on his Truth Social platform, Trump appeared to relish in the fallout. “He made a total FOOL of himself,” Trump wrote, sharing a clip of Kimmel mocking him during last year’s Academy Awards. The former president then claimed that Kimmel was fired for making a “horrible” remark about “a great gentleman known as Charlie Kirk,” who was killed under circumstances that have sparked political controversy. Kimmel had criticized Republican figures, saying the “MAGA gang” was trying to “score political points” from Kirk’s death during a recent opening monologue. Shortly after the episode aired, Disney-owned ABC removed Jimmy Kimmel Live from its schedule indefinitely. According to Bloomberg News, Kimmel was scheduled to meet with Disney executives to determine the show's future. Trump Suggests FCC Retaliation While returning from a trip to the United Kingdom, Trump told reporters that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) should consider revoking the broadcasting licenses of networks that "hit Trump" too often. “I would think maybe their licence should be taken away,” Trump said. However, federal law protects freedom of speech and prevents the FCC from revoking licenses based on political bias or speech critical of the government. Still, Trump hinted that the decision might be influenced by FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr, a Trump appointee. Carr also fueled controversy by stating on a right-wing podcast that Kimmel’s remarks could put Disney’s broadcasting license “in jeopardy.” “This is a very, very serious issue right now for Disney,” Carr said. “They have a licence granted by us at the FCC, and that comes with it an obligation to operate in the public interest.” A Pattern of Media Retaliation? Jimmy Kimmel is the latest in a growing list of media figures and outlets to find themselves at odds with Trump. In July, CBS announced The Late Show with Stephen Colbert would go off-air in 2026—just days after Colbert criticized the network’s parent company, Paramount, for settling a $16 million lawsuit involving Trump. ABC News also paid $15 million after airing inaccurate claims that Trump had been found “liable for raping” writer E. Jean Carroll, when he had, in fact, been found liable for sexual abuse. Trump is also pursuing a multibillion-dollar lawsuit against both The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, accusing them of defamation over their reporting on his alleged ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. On Truth Social, Trump didn’t stop with Kimmel. He took aim at other late-night hosts, saying: “That leaves Jimmy and Seth, two total losers, on Fake News NBC. Their ratings are also horrible. Do it NBC!!!” referring to Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers. Democrats Push Back with Free Speech Bill The backlash from the political left was swift. Democratic lawmakers introduced a new bill, the No Political Enemies Act, designed to protect media and civil society from political retaliation. The bill aims to create legal safeguards for individuals or organizations targeted by government officials for exercising free speech. Though the legislation is unlikely to pass the Republican-controlled Congress, it has sparked a national conversation about press freedom and political overreach. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called for FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr to resign. “There’s an assault on democracy coming out of the White House and their allies, and we see more evidence of it every day,” Schumer said during a press conference. He added: “Political violence has no place in America. But neither does government-led intimidation of the free press.

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