Trump Mocks Jimmy Kimmel After Show Suspension Over Charlie Kirk Remarks: ‘Zero Talent’
ABC pulls late night program indefinitely after backlash to Kimmel’s comments on conservative activist’s assassination.
Washington, Sep 18: US President Donald Trump celebrated the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live! as “great news for America,” praising ABC’s decision to take the late night talk show off air after Kimmel’s controversial remarks about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
“The ratings-challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is CANCELLED. Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done. Kimmel has ZERO talent, and worse ratings than even Colbert, if that’s possible,” Trump wrote on social media. He went on to call fellow late-night hosts Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers “two total losers,” urging NBC to cancel their shows as well.
ABC confirmed that Kimmel’s show has been suspended “indefinitely” following his monologue criticizing the political response to Kirk’s murder. The decision came after pressure from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which urged Disney to act, and from Nexstar Media Group, a major ABC affiliate, which announced it would preempt the program across its stations.
During his monologue, Kimmel accused “MAGA land” of politicizing Kirk’s killing, mocked the national mourning that followed, and ridiculed Trump’s reaction to the activist’s death. “This isn’t how an adult mourns the murder of someone he calls a friend. This is how a four-year-old grieves a goldfish,” Kimmel said, sparking widespread outrage.
Charlie Kirk, co-founder and CEO of Turning Point USA and a close ally of Trump, was shot dead on September 10 while speaking at Utah Valley University. Prosecutors have charged 22-year-old Tyler Robinson with aggravated murder and other offenses, and are seeking the death penalty.
White House deputy chief of staff Taylor Budowich backed ABC’s move, calling it an example of “consequence culture,” while Trump doubled down on his attacks against late-night comedians. Kimmel’s contract with ABC runs through May 2026, but his future on the network is now uncertain.
