President Donald Trump threatened ABC for letting Jimmy Kimmel resume his show after the late-night comedian falsely claimed a right-winger assassinated Charlie Kirk.
Kimmel returned to the air Tuesday night after ABC suspended him last Wednesday.
The president threatened to sue ABC for Kimmel’s support of Democrats.
“He is yet another arm of the DNC and, to the best of my knowledge, that would be a major Illegal Campaign Contribution,” Trump said. “I think we’re going to test ABC out on this. Let’s see how we do. Last time I went after them, they gave me $16 Million Dollars. This one sounds even more lucrative. A true bunch of losers! Let Jimmy Kimmel rot in his bad Ratings.”
Trump said he was shocked “ABC Fake News” gave Kimmel his job back after telling the White House the show was cancelled.
“Something happened between then and now because his audience is GONE, and his “talent” was never there,” Trump said. “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.”
During his monologue on Monday, Sept. 15, Kimmel suggested Kirk’s alleged killer, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, was a Trump supporter.
“The MAGA gang (is) desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said. “In between the finger-pointing, there was grieving.”
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr called the comments about Kirk “truly sick” and said his agency has a strong case for holding Kimmel, ABC, and network parent Walt Disney Co. accountable.
However, some Republicans have expressed support for Kimmel, saying the suspension of his show was a free speech violation.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said Kimmel’s poor ratings should force him off air, not the government.
“If we embrace the FCC stripping licenses from anyone who says something says something you disagree with, the next Democrat president who gets in the White House will do this and will come after everyone right of center,” he said on his podcast “The Verdict” released Friday morning. “And so that is a slippery slope to oblivion.”
On Tuesday night’s show, Kimmel did not apologize for his comments about Kirk but attempted to clarify what he meant.
“I do want to make something clear because it’s important to me as a human,” Kimmel said. “And that is, it was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man. I don’t think there’s anything funny about it. I posted a message on Instagram on the day he was killed, sending love to his family and asking for compassion, and I meant it, and I still do.”
“Nor was it my intention to blame any specific group for the actions of what it was, obviously a deeply disturbed individual,” Kimmel added. “That was really the opposite of the point I was trying to make. But I understand that to some, that felt either ill-timed or unclear, or maybe both. And for those that think I did point a finger, I get why you’re upset. If the situation was reversed, there’s a good chance I’d have felt the same way.”
Turning Point USA spokesman said Kimmel’s apology was “not good enough.”
“Jimmy, it’s simple,” he said on X. “Here’s what you need to say: ‘I’m sorry for saying the shooter was MAGA. He was not. He was of the left. I apologize to the Kirk family for lying. Please accept my sincere apology. I will do better. I was wrong.’”
