US President Donald Trump has publicly celebrated ABC’s suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live! following the host’s controversial remarks about the killing of Charlie Kirk. The network announced the indefinite suspension on Wednesday, just days after Kimmel’s monologue on the topic.
“Great News for America: The ratings challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is CANCELLED,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. He congratulated ABC for “finally having the courage to do what had to be done,” claiming Kimmel has “ZERO talent, and worse ratings than even Colbert.” He also targeted NBC’s late-night hosts, calling them “two total losers” with “horrible ratings.”
A spokesperson for Disney’s ABC confirmed the suspension, stating it was a direct result of Kimmel’s Monday, Sept. 15 monologue, where he referenced Trump’s “Make America Great Again” supporters and Kirk’s assassination. In his Monday and Tuesday broadcasts, Kimmel accused right-wing groups of “trying to score political points” from Kirk’s death and mocked Vice President JD Vance for blaming the left without evidence. Citing research, he dismissed Vance’s claims as “complete bullshit,” linking most extremist violence in the U.S. to far-right groups.
Charlie Kirk was shot and killed on Sept. 10 while speaking at Utah Valley University. Trump mourned his death on social media and later promised to posthumously award him the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal.
Kimmel mocked the MAGA response during his Monday broadcast, accusing supporters of “doing everything they can to score political points.” He specifically targeted Trump’s reaction, saying, “This is not how an adult grieves the murder of someone he called a friend,” and likened his mourning to “how a four-year-old mourns a goldfish.”
In response to Kimmel’s comments, Federal Communications Commission chair Brendan Carr, a Trump appointee, called on broadcasters to pull the show, warning they could face fines or license revocation. Nexstar Media, a major U.S. station owner, and Sinclair Broadcast Group, which owns the most ABC affiliates, both announced they would stop airing the show. Sinclair also revealed plans to air a tribute to Kirk in Kimmel’s timeslot.
The suspension comes two months after Trump had predicted that Kimmel could be next after The Late Show with Stephen Colbert was canceled. Kimmel has not yet publicly commented on the suspension.
