Donald Trump issued a warning to Jimmy Kimmel just weeks before Kimmel’s show was suspended indefinitely. The suspension follows Kimmel’s controversial remarks regarding the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk. Following the cancellation of Stephen Colbert’s show on CBS, Trump took to Truth Social to predict Kimmel would be next.
Kimmel’s suspension was announced after he made comments describing the shooter of Charlie Kirk as being part of a “MAGA Gang,” which he criticized for attempting to politicize the tragedy. He expressed his frustration during an episode of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” stating, “The MAGA Gang 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.”
In a post on Truth Social, Trump reacted to the news of Colbert’s cancellation by writing, “I absolutely love that Colbert got fired. His talent was even less than his ratings. I hear Jimmy Kimmel is next. Has even less talent than Colbert!” He further criticized late-night hosts, including Kimmel, Seth Meyers, and Jimmy Fallon, suggesting that their ratings were poor and calling for action from NBC regarding their programming.
Nexstar Media Group, which owns a significant number of local television stations in the United States, announced Kimmel’s suspension. The company stated, “Nexstar strongly objects to recent comments made by Mr. Kimmel concerning the killing of Charlie Kirk and will replace the show with other programming in its ABC-affiliated markets.” Andrew Alford, President of Nexstar’s broadcasting division, emphasized that Kimmel’s remarks were “offensive and insensitive” amidst a critical time in national political discourse.
Alford added, “Continuing to give Mr. Kimmel a broadcast platform in the communities we serve is simply not in the public interest at the current time.” He indicated that the decision to preempt Kimmel’s show was made to foster a climate of respectful dialogue.
Kimmel’s comments and subsequent suspension have sparked discussions about the intersection of comedy and political commentary in today’s media landscape. As the situation develops, the impact on late-night television and public discourse remains to be seen.