Disney’s ABC has suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live! indefinitely after comments the comedian made about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk sparked a political firestorm and mounting pressure from both regulators and station owners.
The decision was announced on Wednesday evening, just as a live studio audience was preparing to enter the Hollywood theater where the show is taped. Viewers were told the taping had been canceled, leaving many stunned outside the venue. Kimmel, 57, was later seen leaving the studio without comment.
What Sparked the Suspension
On Monday night, Kimmel addressed the murder of Charlie Kirk, the 31-year-old founder of Turning Point USA who was fatally shot while attending an event at Utah Valley University on September 10. During his monologue, Kimmel suggested that the suspect, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, might have been connected to pro-Trump circles.
“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 told his audience. He also mocked President Trump’s reaction to Kirk’s death, comparing it to “how a four-year-old mourns a goldfish.”
Authorities, however, painted a different picture. Charging documents stated that Robinson, who grew up in a conservative household, had in recent years leaned left politically and expressed support for LGBTQ rights. He was not registered to any political party and had not voted in recent elections.
Pressure From Affiliates and Regulators
Kimmel’s remarks immediately drew backlash. Nexstar Media Group, which operates 23 ABC affiliates, announced it would stop airing Jimmy Kimmel Live! “for the foreseeable future,” calling the comments “offensive and insensitive at a critical time in our national political discourse.” Sinclair Broadcast Group soon followed, pledging to air a special tribute to Kirk in Kimmel’s usual slot.
Behind the scenes, business interests also played a role. Both Nexstar and Disney have major deals pending before the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), making them especially sensitive to political pushback.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, a Trump appointee, described Kimmel’s comments as “the sickest conduct possible” and hinted that affiliate licenses could be at risk if Disney failed to act. “We can do this the easy way or the hard way,” Carr warned in a podcast appearance, signaling more aggressive oversight of broadcasters.
Anna Gomez, the FCC’s lone Democratic commissioner, criticized the administration’s stance, warning that “the weight of government power” was being used to “suppress lawful expression.” Free-speech advocacy groups also condemned ABC’s decision, calling it an alarming precedent.
Trump’s Reaction and Political Fallout
President Trump, who has frequently clashed with Kimmel, wasted little time celebrating the suspension. “Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done,” he wrote on Truth Social. He also mocked NBC’s Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers, urging NBC to cancel their shows as well.
The move comes just months after CBS announced it was canceling Stephen Colbert’s Late Show next year, prompting speculation that political pressure may be shaping network programming. Trump had similarly gloated over Colbert’s impending departure, saying, “I absolutely love that Colbert got fired… I hear Jimmy Kimmel is next.”
Audience and Public Reaction
Fans who had queued up to attend Wednesday’s taping expressed frustration, some calling the cancellation “ridiculous” and “a violation of free speech.” A handful of protesters gathered outside the studio, one holding a sign that read “Trump must go now.”
Online, reactions were divided. Supporters of Kirk cheered the suspension, while others accused ABC of bowing to political intimidation. “This might be the end of Kimmel’s career,” one user wrote on X, echoing Trump’s prediction.
Questions About Kimmel’s Future
Speculation has already begun about whether Kimmel might retire from late-night television. Earlier this month, when asked about his future, he admitted he had been thinking about retirement but offered no firm answer: “Each day is a new adventure, and I kind of take them as they come.”
For now, ABC has not said whether the suspension is temporary or permanent. A person familiar with the situation stressed that Kimmel has not been fired, and discussions are expected about how — and if — he might return to the air.
What is clear is that the controversy marks a new flashpoint in the intersection of politics, media, and free expression. As networks navigate both regulatory pressure and shifting viewer habits, late-night television — once a relatively safe space for satire — is becoming another battleground in America’s polarized cultural landscape.
