ABC and parent company Disney have taken Jimmy Kimmel Live! off the air after facing pressure from the Trump administration over comments host Jimmy Kimmel made about the fatal shooting of right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk.
A network spokesperson told TV Line Wednesday the late-night show is “pre-empted indefinitely,” after local station owners Nexstar Media Group and Sinclair Broadcasting said they would not to air the show on their ABC affiliates.
The station groups cited Kimmel’s comments about the Sept. 10 shooting at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, that left Kirk dead.
Related: WaPo Columnist Fired Over Charlie Kirk Social Posts, Says She ‘Won’t Be Silenced’
Kimmel addressed the shooting on the Monday, Sept. 15 episode of his show.
“We hit some new lows over the weekend with 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,” he said. “In between the finger-pointing there was grieving. On Friday, the White House flew the flags at half staff, which got some criticism, but on a human level you can see how hard the president is taking this.”
The video cut to reporters asking Trump how he was “holding up” after losing his friend.
“I think very good, and by the way, you see all the trucks? They just started construction on the new ballroom for the White House,” Trump said, immediately changing the subject.
Kimmel quipped, “He’s at the fourth stage of grief — construction.”
Earlier today, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr criticized Kimmel and suggested the government might take action against ABC affiliates that continue to air his show.
Nexstar released a statement saying its stations would cut ties with Kimmel.
“Mr. Kimmel’s comments about the death of Mr. Kirk are offensive and insensitive at a critical time in our national political discourse, and we do not believe they reflect the spectrum of opinions, views, or values of the local communities in which we are located,” the statement read.
Nexstar announced in August it’s in the process of acquiring rival Tegna for $6.2 billion. But the Trump-controlled FCC must approve the deal.
Utah resident Tyler Robinson, 22, was charged on Tuesday with aggravated murder and other counts in connection with Kirk’s death.
At a televised news conference, Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray said Robinson targeted Kirk because of his politics.
According to published reports, Robinson’s parents are registered Republicans. But Robinson, a third-year student at Dixie Technical College, is listed as unaffiliated with a political party on his voter registration, according to local news station KSL-TV.
Kimmel has been a frequent critic of President Trump. Meanwhile, Trump has called for Kimmel to be taken off the air like CBS host Stephen Colbert, whose show will end in 2026.
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