President Donald Trump has once again hit out at Jimmy Kimmel, claiming he knows the real reason why the talk show host was canceled.
The controversy kicked off after Kimmel made controversial remarks about the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, which led to his show being pulled from ABC.
In the wake of the suspension, both President Donald Trump and fellow talk-show host Jimmy Fallon weighed in, adding fuel to the fire.
Donald Trump Weighs In
President Donald Trump, who has often been at odds with late-night hosts, quickly seized the opportunity to address Kimmel’s suspension.
In a statement cited by the Mirror, Trump suggested that Kimmel’s show was taken off air not just because of his comments on Kirk’s death, but due to his poor performance in the ratings.
"Well, Jimmy Kimmel was fired because he had bad ratings, more than anything else. And he said a horrible thing about a great gentleman known as Charlie Kirk," he said.
Trump continued his attack, asserting that Kimmel’s lack of talent had long been a problem: “And Jimmy Kimmel is not a talented person. He had very bad ratings, and they should have fired him a long time ago. So, you know, you could call that free speech or not. He was fired for lack of talent.”
Trump’s comments echoed his earlier remarks on Truth Social, where he praised ABC for taking action against Kimmel and dismissed the host’s influence: "Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done. Kimmel has ZERO talent."
The Growing Concerns of Censorship in Late-Night TV
While Trump’s comments may have stoked the flames of political discourse, they also contributed to a growing concern over censorship in late-night television.
The suspension of Kimmel’s show raised alarm bells for many who feared this could set a dangerous precedent for limiting free speech, particularly in comedy and media.
Jimmy Fallon, another major late-night host, was quick to respond on his own show, The Tonight Show, after news of Kimmel’s suspension broke.
Fallon opened the segment with humor, addressing the confusion surrounding Kimmel’s sudden removal from air: “Well guys, the big story is that Jimmy Kimmel was suspended by ABC after pressure from the FCC, leaving everyone thinking ‘WTF? What’s going on?’”
He continued with a light-hearted comment about the confusion within his own family, joking about receiving texts from his dad: “This morning I woke up to 100 text messages from my dad saying, ‘I’m sorry they cancelled your show.’ I go, ‘That’s not me! That’s Jimmy Kimmel!’”
Despite the humor, Fallon didn’t shy away from the serious concerns surrounding Kimmel’s suspension, emphasizing his belief in Kimmel’s character: “To be honest with you all, I don’t know what’s going on, and no one does. But I do know Jimmy Kimmel, and he’s a decent, funny, and loving guy. I hope he comes back.”