ABC to indefinitely halt Jimmy Kimmel Live! after Charlie Kirk remarks
In a swift and decisive move, ABC has suspended broadcasts of its flagship late-night program, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, indefinitely following host Jimmy Kimmel’s pointed remarks on the recent assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
The Walt Disney-owned network confirmed the decision on Wednesday, stating the show would be preempted without a set return date. The action stems directly from Kimmel’s Monday monologue, where he lambasted supporters of President Donald Trump—often dubbed the “MAGA gang”—for allegedly twisting the narrative around the killing to gain political advantage.
“We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterise 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 stated during the segment on his enduring talk show.
The backlash escalated quickly. Earlier, Nexstar Media, a major owner of local TV stations that includes at least 28 ABC affiliates, declared it would no longer carry the program, citing Kimmel’s statements on the Kirk murder as crossing a line.
Nexstar Media President Andrew Alford explained the rationale, calling the comments “offensive and insensitive at a critical time in our national political discourse.” He added, “We do not believe they reflect the spectrum of opinions, views, or values of the local communities in which we are located.”
Utah authorities have charged Tyler Robinson with Kirk’s murder and intend to pursue the death penalty, though the precise motive remains under investigation. Kimmel’s remarks implied the suspect aligned with Trump, a claim made prior to the public disclosure of text messages suggesting Robinson’s political opposition to Kirk.
The controversy drew sharp rebukes from high places. Brendan Carr, chair of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)—the U.S. government’s overseer of television, radio, and internet broadcasting—condemned Kimmel’s words as “the sickest conduct possible” in an interview with conservative YouTuber Benny Johnson. Carr hinted at potential repercussions for ABC affiliates, urging them to resist airing the show amid risks of “licence revocation” tied to “a pattern of news distortion.”
He emphasized broadcasters’ obligations: “What people don’t understand is that the broadcasters … have a licence granted by us at the FCC, and that comes with it an obligation to operate in the public interest.”
Kimmel’s suspension joins a wave of professional consequences for similar statements post-Kirk’s death. “There have been notable journalists as well as analysts and also just everyday people who have lost their jobs because of comments they made about Charlie Kirk’s death,” she said. She pointed to Vice President JD Vance’s call for reporting colleagues’ social media posts that appeared to slight Kirk.