Trump applauds Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension over remarks on Charlie Kirk

United States President Donald Trump has hailed the suspension of late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel, deepening a fierce debate about free speech and government pressure on media outlets.

Kimmel, host of Jimmy Kimmel Live, was pulled off the air indefinitely by ABC after he made remarks about right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, who was shot dead on stage at a Utah university event on September 10.

During his opening monologue on Monday, Kimmel criticized Trump’s allies for “scoring political points” over Kirk’s murder, drawing backlash from conservatives. 

He also mocked Trump’s public response, saying: “This is not how an adult grieves the murder of someone he called a friend. This is how a four-year-old mourns a goldfish.”

Trump, speaking during a state visit to Britain, cheered the move, describing Kimmel as untalented with poor ratings. “He said a horrible thing about a great gentleman known as Charlie Kirk… He was fired for lack of talent,” the president told reporters.

According to Reuters, ABC’s decision followed warnings from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) about Kimmel’s commentary, as well as threats by major local broadcasters Nexstar and Sinclair to stop airing the show unless the comedian apologized to Kirk’s family.

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The suspension has triggered outrage among Democrats, Hollywood unions, and free-speech advocates. Former U.S. President Barack Obama condemned the action as government-instigated censorship, warning that the Trump administration was weaponizing regulatory threats to silence critics.

“This is a dangerous new level of cancel culture,” Obama said, urging media companies not to bow to political coercion.

Writers’ and actors’ unions, alongside PEN America, echoed the sentiment, calling the suspension an attack on First Amendment rights. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer also demanded Trump fire FCC chairman Brendan Carr, describing him as a major threat to free speech.

The controversy comes amid a broader pattern of Trump targeting media outlets and critics since his return to the White House in January. Recently, he filed a $15 billion defamation suit against The New York Times and hinted that networks “97% against me” could lose their licenses.

Meanwhile, a 22-year-old college student has been charged with Kirk’s murder, a killing that has polarized public opinion over the conservative activist’s controversial legacy.

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