Backlash to Trump Crackdown Intensifies After Kimmel Suspension: Live Updates
On Wednesday, ABC indefinitely suspended Jimmy Kimmel’s late night show after two prominent station groups vowed to preempt airings of the program following comments Kimmel made in the aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s assassination. The suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live! was quickly celebrated by FCC chair Brendan Carr and President Trump, who deemed it “Great News for America” and appeared to call for a similar fate for Kimmel’s NBC counterparts Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers. Kimmel’s sidelining is the largest victory yet for the intensifying campaign by conservatives and the Trump administration to silence and punish people who have criticized Kirk. ABC’s move has also prompted swift criticism from politicians and celebrities alike who view Kimmel’s suspension as a chilling attack on free speech. Below are the latest developments, commentary, and analysis regarding all of it.