Jimmy Kimmel was indefinitely suspended (effectively fired) by ABC in September 2025 due to controversial remarks he made about the shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. In his monologue, Kimmel accused the "MAGA gang" (Trump supporters) of trying to score political points from Kirk's death and implied that they were trying to portray the shooter as anything other than one of their own. He also ridiculed the president's emotional response to the tragedy, describing it as childlike. These comments sparked backlash from conservatives, the Federal Communications Commission chair, and affiliates of ABC, leading to the network pulling his show off the air indefinitely. Former President Trump praised the suspension, attributing it partly to Kimmel's poor ratings and lack of talent.
Kimmel said during the monologue:
- The "MAGA gang" was "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 criticized White House flags at half-mast in Kirk's honor.
- He mocked Trump's response to a reporter about how he was doing after Kirk's shooting, comparing it to how a toddler grieves for a goldfish.
ABC made the decision to suspend Kimmel's show indefinitely following pressure from the FCC and affiliated stations like Nexstar and Sinclair who stopped airing the show. The suspension has been described as unprecedented and tied to political and regulatory pressure rather than purely ratings.
In summary, Jimmy Kimmel was suspended primarily due to his critical and politically charged remarks about the shooter of Charlie Kirk and the reaction of Trump and his supporters, which caused significant backlash and regulatory scrutiny.
