Trump Criticizes Jimmy Kimmel's Return to Late Night

Ahead of Jimmy Kimmel's late-night comeback, former President Donald Trump expressed disapproval towards ABC's choice to reinstate the comedian. Just before Kimmel's scheduled broadcast, Trump shared on Truth Social his disbelief at Kimmel regaining his position, despite previous assurances of the show's cancellation by ABC. 'Something shifted, given his nonexistent live audience and lack of 'talent,'' Trump remarked.

Trump suggested potential legal action against ABC, drawing a parallel to a previous $15 million settlement stemming from a defamation suit he filed against the network. 'We might just have another go at ABC,' he hinted.

Kimmel's show was temporarily halted on September 17 following comments made about the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Brendan Carr, the FCC chairman, criticized these remarks. The suspension spurred considerable debate, accusing the Trump administration of stifling free expression.

Support and Criticism

Trump attended Kirk's remembrance in Arizona, previously lauding ABC for sidelining Kimmel, and criticized his performance compared to peers like Colbert. Following this, Disney decided to bring Kimmel back, aiming to avoid intensifying a tense national atmosphere, as mentioned in their statement. Their move followed extensive discussions with Kimmel.

Upon the announcement, a backlash ensued from Hollywood to Washington, though Kimmel received backing from over 400 artists, including notable figures like Tom Hanks and Jennifer Aniston, who signed a letter expressing solidarity.

Political Ramifications

The discourse centered around Brendan Carr, a Trump appointee, who implied Disney's only options were compliance or resistance. Subsequently, Carr applauded efforts by Nexstar Media Group in choosing alternative programming over Kimmel's show, before ABC's complete suspension.

Trump defended Carr, opposing Sen. Ted Cruz's 'mafioso' analogy about Carr's statements. Meanwhile, companies like Sinclair and Nexstar prepared to air different content instead of Kimmel. Nexstar reassured audiences that Disney's streaming services still included Kimmel's show. Both companies faced pressing regulatory matters ahead of the FCC, including a substantial merger proposal for Nexstar.

Neither Trump nor Kimmel's representatives supplied comments to Business Insider regarding the ongoing situation.