Jimmy Kimmel’s popular talk show has been put on hold following his remarks regarding Charlie Kirk’s death. Many have pointed to a statement from President Trump, suggesting he played a role in quieting the host.
Kimmel, known for addressing major news topics, found himself in hot water this time around. During a recent episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, he criticized Trump for his response to the tragic news that conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot while delivering a speech at Utah Valley University on September 10.
Tyler Robinson, aged 22, has been charged with Kirk’s murder, among other offenses, including obstruction of justice.
Kimmel aired a segment showing Trump being questioned by a reporter about his feelings following the confirmation of Kirk’s death. Trump responded with “I think very good,” and immediately switched topics to discuss renovations at his Washington, D.C. home.
Kimmel ridiculed this, stating: “He’s at the fourth stage of grief: construction. This is not how an adult grieves the murder of someone he called a friend. This is how a four-year-old mourns a goldfish, OK?”
On September 17, Sinclair, the country’s largest ABC affiliate group, announced that Jimmy Kimmel Live! had been suspended ‘indefinitely.’
Some fans recalled Trump’s comments from July, when he suggested Kimmel ‘was next’ after the cancellation of Stephen Colbert’s late-night show.
At the time, Trump took to social media predicting that Kimmel ‘would be next’ to face cancellation.
In a Truth Social post, Trump wrote: “The word is, and it’s a strong word at that, Jimmy Kimmel is NEXT to go in the untalented Late Night Sweepstakes and, shortly thereafter, Fallon will be gone.
“These are people with absolutely NO TALENT, who were paid Millions of Dollars for, in all cases, destroying what used to be GREAT Television. It’s really good to see them go, and I hope I played a major part in it.”
Given Trump’s frequent public disapproval of Kimmel, some on social media found the timing suspicious.
One Twitter comment read: “Not even two months ago Jimmy Kimmel shared this post by tr*mp saying he’s next on his Instagram…and guess who was next.”
Governor Gavin Newsom of California remarked: “A coordinated effort to silence critics and free speech. Must be a coincidence.”
Another individual humorously noted: “Whoa Buddy. When I said free speech I didn’t mean you could start saying things I don’t like.”
However, some believe Kimmel’s suspension was unrelated to Trump and stemmed from the broadcaster’s judgment call on the comedian’s commentary.
Trump seemed to take pleasure in the news of Kimmel’s suspension, sharing his thoughts on Truth Social without claiming involvement in the decision.
UNILAD has reached out to the White House for comments on the situation.