Donald Trump rages and threatens to sue ABC after Jimmy Kimmel’s return
Kimmel was suspended for six days, sparking outrage across Hollywood.
As Jimmy Kimmel made his highly anticipated return to the screen, Donald Trump levelled threats at ABC.
Kimmel, 57, was originally removed from air following comments he made about the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The 31-year-old controversial media personality was killed in a ‘political assassination’ during a Q&A at Utah Valley University on September 10.
It was confirmed yesterday that, six days after being taken off air ‘indefinitely’, the talk show legend would be reinstated, his suspension having sparked outrage across Hollywood.
The TV host, 57, got emotional as he shared his return monologue, telling audiences he ‘never meant to make light of murder’.
Over on Truth Social, the US President shared his own rage at Kimmel’s return, writing: ‘I can’t believe ABC Fake News gave Jimmy Kimmel his job back.
‘The White House was told by ABC that his show was cancelled! Something happened between then and now because his audience is GONE, and his ‘talent’ was never there.
Donald Trump made his feelings about Kimmel’s return crystal clear (Picture: Bloomberg via Getty Images)‘Why would they want someone back who does so poorly, who’s not funny, and who puts the network in jeopardy by playing 99% positive Democrat GARBAGE.
After accusing Kimmel of being ‘another arm of the DNC, he added: ‘I think we’re going to test ABC out on this. Let’s see who we do.
‘Last time I went after them, they gave me $16 million. This one sounds even more lucrative,’ concluding that talk show hosts were a ‘true bunch of losers’.
Trump’s threat comes after ABC News agreed to settle a defamation lawsuit in December 2024, with the figurehead securing a $16m settlement from Paramount Global.
Kimmel also aimed his own words at Trump during his return monologue, after Trump criticised him last week as well.
‘You almost have to feel sorry for him. He tried his best to cancel me. Instead, he forced millions of people to watch the show. That backfired bigly. He might have to release the Epstein files to distract us from this now,’ he quipped.
Both have spoken about the other (Picture: YouTube/Jimmy Kimmel Live)Ahead of his return, outrage was bubbling away among Republicans.
In his own monologue on September 15, Kimmel, who began hosting Jimmy Kimmel Live! in 2003, said that the ‘MAGA gang’ was ‘desperately trying to characterise this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them’ and trying to ‘score political points from it’.
Then, earlier this week, after the likes of Meryl Streep, Robert De Niro, Tom Hanks, and Ben Affleck publicly condemned the suspension as a violation of ‘free speech’, ABC announced Kimmel would be back on Tuesday.
Consequently, supporters of Kirk and US President Donald Trump, of whom Kirk was a known ally, slammed the decision.
The chat show legend was reinstated six days after being taken off air (Picture: Randy Holmes/Disney via Getty Images) Kimmel was suspended ‘indefinitely’ after remarks about the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk (Picture: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)Andrew Kolvet, an executive producer of The Charlie Kirk Show, wrote on X: ‘Disney and ABC caving and allowing Kimmel back on the air is not surprising, but it’s their mistake to make.’
‘Nexstar and Sinclair do not have to make the same choice’, he added, referring to the two station groups that represent about 25% of national TV audiences in the States and who have decided not to broadcast Kimmel’s return.
In their statement, Nexstar, which operates 28 ABC-affiliated stations, said: ‘We made a decision last week to preempt Jimmy Kimmel Live! following what ABC referred to as Mr. Kimmel’s “ill-timed and insensitive” comments at a critical time in our national discourse.
‘We stand by that decision pending assurance that all parties are committed to fostering an environment of respectful, constructive dialogue in the markets we serve.
‘In the meantime, we note that Jimmy Kimmel Live! will be available nationwide on multiple Disney-owned streaming products, while our stations will focus on continuing to produce local news and other programming relevant to their respective markets.’
Elsewhere, conservative commentator Auron MacIntyre implored his 230,000+ strong following to contact affiliates and sponsors in a pressure campaign.
MAGA supporters are furious that Kimmel will be back (Picture: Reuters)
