ABC unexpectedly announced overnight Thursday that it is pulling its late-night show Jimmy Kimmel Live off the air "indefinitely," following the host’s remarks about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk and after a public warning from the Federal Communications Commission chairman.
In his monologue, Kimmel said, among other things, that “The MAGA Gang 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,” remarks that sparked political and media controversy.
The decision came amid hours of pressure on the network from senior administration officials and executives at regional station groups and was described in Los Angeles as a shock to the industry.
The final decision was made by Disney chairman Bob Iger, ABC’s parent company, and Dana Walden, head of its television division. Disney’s board was not involved in the discussion, and senior executives made the decision minutes before the crew began preparing Wednesday night’s show, when Kimmel was planning to respond to criticism of his monologue about Kirk’s killing.
An ABC spokesman said “the show will be taken off the air for an indefinite period” and offered no further details.
Earlier, FCC chairman Brendan Carr attacked Kimmel in an interview on conservative commentator Benny Johnson’s podcast. Carr called it “a coordinated effort to lie to Americans” and warned that the commission “will consider regulatory steps” against ABC. “You can do it the easy way or the hard way,” he said. He later urged ABC-affiliated local stations to pre-empt the program and pull it from their schedules, arguing it did not serve “their communities.” In an evening appearance on Fox News’ "Tucker Carlson Tonight," Carr praised station owners who moved to replace the broadcast, calling it a “turning point” and saying there was no longer room on television for “progressive foie gras coming out of New York and Hollywood.”
The controversy began with Kimmel’s monologue on Monday. “New records were broken this weekend. The MAGA Gang 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,” he said. Conservative activists argued the remarks distorted the views of Tyler Robinson, the suspect in the shooting.
Prosecutors said Robinson wrote in private messages about “the hate” Kirk generated, though authorities did not specify which of Kirk’s positions Robinson considered a source of “hate.” Robinson’s mother told prosecutors her son had recently distanced himself from the right and expressed more support for LGBTQ rights. Conservative American civil-rights groups filed a formal complaint with the FCC against Kimmel’s remarks, arguing there is no protection in claiming it was satire or “late-night comedy,” and that local station owners should demand that networks serve the “public interest.”
On Wednesday afternoon, Nexstar, one of the country’s biggest station owners that operates ABC affiliates, announced it would replace Kimmel’s program “for the time being” on more than 200 of its stations across its markets. Shortly afterward, Sinclair, another station group known for its conservative profile, joined in. Sinclair said it would drop Kimmel from its lineup and demanded a public apology from him and a substantial personal donation to the Kirk family and to Turning Point USA, the organization Kirk founded. Late that night, ABC announced the nationwide suspension for an indefinite period.
Sinclair said it will replace Kimmel’s Friday slot with a one-hour Charlie Kirk tribute special across its ABC-owned stations and offer the program to other network affiliates. The company added that its suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live will remain in effect “until a formal discussion with ABC on the network’s commitment to professionalism and accountability is held.”
Free-speech groups and Hollywood unions denounced the moves.
The Writers Guild of America issued a stark statement saying, “The right to speak our minds and to disagree with each other – to disturb, even – is at the very heart of what it means to be a free people. It is not to be denied. Not by violence, not by the abuse of governmental power, nor by acts of corporate cowardice.” The guild added that if free expression were limited only to comfortable ideas, there would be no reason to enshrine it in the Constitution, and that silencing creators “impoverishes the whole world.”
SAG-AFTRA also condemned the suspension, saying in a statement that: “Our society depends on freedom of expression. Suppression of free speech and retaliation for speaking out on significant issues of public concern run counter to the fundamental rights we all rely on. Democracy thrives when diverse points of view are expressed. The decision to suspend airing Jimmy Kimmel Live! is the type of suppression and retaliation that endangers everyone’s freedoms."
While conservatives celebrated the outcome, senior Democrats warned of the precedent. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer called it “a scandalous move” and warned against using government power to pressure broadcasters. FCC commissioner Anna Gomez, a Democrat, said in an interview that the First Amendment does not permit the commission to tell broadcasters what they may air, and that responding to governmental hints undermines free speech. Gomez said she watched the clip and, while Kimmel’s joke was crude, he did not make baseless criminal accusations, so there was no grounds for regulatory action.
The current confrontation follows a string of clashes between the administration and media entities: Last year President Trump sued ABC in a case that settled for $16 million; on Monday he filed a libel suit against The New York Times and four of its writers; this summer the FCC approved a major Paramount merger shortly after the company agreed to a separate $16 million civil settlement; CBS announced The Late Show with Stephen Colbert will end after next season citing financial reasons—sparking industry speculation about efforts to appease Washington during sensitive deal and merger talks. At the local-station level, Nexstar and Sinclair are pursuing large transactions of their own, including purchases of competing groups—deals that require FCC scrutiny.
President Donald Trump posted a celebratory message on his social platform from England, where he is on a state visit: “Great News for America: The ratings challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is CANCELLED. Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done. Kimmel has ZERO talent, and worse ratings than even Colbert, if that’s possible. That leaves Jimmy and Seth, two total losers, on Fake News NBC. Their ratings are also horrible. Do it NBC!!!”
Kimmel has not yet commented on the decision. Sources close to him say he had intended to address the criticism on last night’s broadcast before the show was canceled—but the episode was not taped.