Jimmy Kimmel Faces Suspension Over Controversial Remarks on Conservative Leader’s Murder

By Sandy Fitzgerald | Thursday, 09 October 2025 08:08 AM EDT

Jimmy Kimmel has accused critics of “intentionally and maliciously mischaracterizing” his comments about the accused killer of conservative leader Charlie Kirk, leading to the temporary suspension of his ABC program.

During an interview at the Bloomberg Screentime conference in Los Angeles, Kimmel claimed he initially dismissed backlash as “distortion on the part of some of the right-wing media networks” and asserted he aimed to “correct” the record. His remarks drew sharp condemnation from viewers and conservatives who alleged he politicized the tragedy.

Kimmel faced scrutiny after a Sept. 17 monologue in which he accused Trump supporters of trying to portray Kirk’s accused killer “as anything other than one of them,” alleging conservatives sought “political points” over the murder. ABC parent company Walt Disney temporarily pulled “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” off the air following criticism from Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr, who claimed the host misled viewers about the accused shooter’s political affiliations.

Carr warned the FCC could review station licenses if misinformation persisted. Kimmel stated he did not expect his show to return, citing demands he refused to meet. “I was not going to go along with any of them,” he said, adding, “That’s it. It’s over.”

After six days, Disney reinstated Kimmel, allowing him to return with partial approval of his remarks. “I told them the spirit of what I was going to say,” he noted, “rather than specifically what I was going to say.”

On his return, Kimmel denied intending to mock the murder but defended political satire and criticized “bullying” from Trump and his administration.

Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism, covering news, media, and politics for Newsmax.