President Donald Trump said TV networks should have to defend their federally granted licenses if they broadcast content that’s nearly entirely critical of him. Aboard Air Force One on his way back from a British diplomatic tour, Trump defended ABC’s decision to indefinitely suspend “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”
The suspension came after the show’s titular host made comments about the killing of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk and the president’s reaction to the killing.
“I read someplace that the networks were 97% against me. I get 97% negative,” Trump told reporters. “I mean, they’re getting a license. I would think maybe their license should be taken away. It will be up to Brendan Carr.”
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Trump praised ABC’s decision to suspend Kimmel’s show on Wednesday.
“Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done,” Trump posted on Truth Social. He added that other networks should do the same with other shows.
Kimmel’s Monologue
Kimmel’s comments weren’t directed at Kirk so much as supporters of the president.
“We had some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them,” Kimmel said Monday.
The comments set off a flurry of condemnation from conservatives, including Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr. Carr told conservative podcaster Benny Johnson that the commission could consider revoking ABC’s license over the comments.
ABC informed Kimmel on Wednesday that he would not be taping that evening’s show, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Network fallout
Local affiliate giant Nexstar announced it would pre-empt Kimmel’s show on over 20 ABC affiliates across the country soon after Carr’s comments threatening to revoke the FCC license. Nexstar maintains that they made the decision independently of Carr’s comments and without any direct communication with Carr or the FCC.
Sinclair Broadcast Group, another large network of local stations, demanded Kimmel formally apologize for the comments and make a donation to Turning Point USA, the right-wing activist group Kirk founded.
Condemnation
News of ABC’s decision to pull Kimmel’s program and subsequent threats of license revocation has brought Democrats, free speech advocates and other show hosts together in their critique of the move.
Among the Democrats Straight Arrow News spoke to Thursday was U.S. Sen. Dick Blumenthal, D-Conn., who said that “this kind of heavy-handed censorship is going to be a whirlwind that will come back to haunt the chairman of the FCC and others.”
According to The New York Times, former Late Night host David Letterman said on Thursday that ABC can’t fire Kimmel “because you’re fearful or trying to suck up to an authoritarian, a criminal administration in the Oval Office.”
The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) said Chairman Carr is trying to assert government control over public discourse.
“The FCC has no authority to control what a late night TV host can say, and the First Amendment protects Americans’ right to speculate on current events, even if those speculations later turn out to be incorrect,” the nonprofit said in a statement.
Trump’s evolving stance on free speech
As he started his second term in office, Trump championed free speech and promised to undo what he on multiple occasions referred to as cancel culture.
“Never again will the immense power of the state be weaponized to persecute political opponents,” Trump said in his Jan. 20, 2025 inauguration speech.
