‘A Page Right Out Of Xi’s Playbook’: Dems And Media Talking Heads Lose It Over Kimmel Ouster

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) — along with a host of elected Democrats and media personalities — scrambled to defend ousted late-night comedian Jimmy Kimmel after he was suspended indefinitely, arguing that it was a free speech issue.

Kimmel’s suspension — which, according to ABC, is indefinite — follows comments he made after the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk. “We hit 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 and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” the comedian said on Monday.

Schumer immediately identified Kimmel’s suspension as evidence that the United States was sinking into authoritarian rule.

“It is outrageous. It’s a page right out of Xi’s playbook,” he said. “This is just despicable, disgusting, and against democratic values. Trump and his allies seem to want to shut down speech that they don’t like to hear.”

Schumer did not explain how he’d reached the conclusion that ABC — which had to shell out millions to Trump in a lawsuit prompted by comments made by anchor George Stephanopoulos — had become one of those “allies.”

Chuck Schumer foams at the mouth over Jimmy Kimmel getting suspended by ABC.

Jimmy might have a right to free speech, but he’s not free from consequences Chuck.pic.twitter.com/RWEWRxgeJM

— MRC NewsBusters (@newsbusters) September 18, 2025

Schumer had previously called for former Fox News host Tucker Carlson’s removal from the air waves.

2023: Chuck Schumer demands Tucker Carlson be taken off the air because he “slimed the truth.” pic.twitter.com/MXfn6ceVCO

— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) September 18, 2025

MSNBC host Chris Hayes called it part of “Donald Trump’s ongoing campaign to crack down on free speech” and “render the First Amendment meaningless” — but as some pointed out, he’d taken a very different approach when Fox News parted ways with former host Tucker Carlson.

“He believed he could say anything no matter how vile, no matter how disgusting, no matter how offensive, no matter how dehumanizing, belittling … over time, probably not going to work out well for you,” he said at the time.

MSNBC’s Chris Hayes on Kimmel getting fired: This renders the First Amendment meaningless.

Chris Hayes on Tucker getting fired: He believed he could say anything no matter how disgusting and get away with it. Over time, that’s not going to work out well for you. pic.twitter.com/KOdROGvseE

— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) September 18, 2025

Former CNN host and longtime Trump foil Jim Acosta also ran to Kimmel’s defense, saying, “Jimmy Kimmel deserves better than this. He’s a class act. Case in point – after my first appearance on his show back in 2018, he very thoughtfully asked whether I was receiving adequate security at that time, as Trump was repeatedly smearing journalists as ‘the enemy of the people,’ comments that resulted in threats aimed at many of us in the White House Press Corps. I’ll never forget that moment of kindness from Jimmy. It spoke volumes. Make no mistake, our right to free speech is under attack in this country. This right must be defended as it is essential to the American way of life.”

Jimmy Kimmel deserves better than this. He’s a class act. Case in point – after my first appearance on his show back in 2018, he very thoughtfully asked whether I was receiving adequate security at that time, as Trump was repeatedly smearing journalists as “the enemy of the… pic.twitter.com/s44423s3H6

— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) September 18, 2025

And they were far from alone.

Kimmel getting canceled has BROKEN these people. pic.twitter.com/wIwFeWGKn8

— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) September 18, 2025

A free and democratic society cannot silence comedians because the President doesn’t like what they say.

This is an attack on free speech and cannot be allowed to stand.

All elected officials need to speak up and push back on this undemocratic act.

— Governor JB Pritzker (@GovPritzker) September 17, 2025

There is no such thing as free speech under Donald Trump’s reign.

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) September 18, 2025

The Writers Guild of America blasts the decision to suspend #JimmyKimmelLive: “The WGA stands with Jimmy Kimmel and his writers.”

“The right to speak our minds and to disagree with each other – to disturb, even – is at the very heart of what it means to be a free people. It is… pic.twitter.com/fUwPcuFYxp

— Variety (@Variety) September 18, 2025

There’s even legislation in progress to block President Trump from suppressing free speech … even though Kimmel was actually booted by ABC.

BREAKING NEWS:

We have new legislation to protect free speech in the wake of the Trump administration’s attacks on it.

Watch live as I stand shoulder-to-shoulder with:@ChrisMurphyCT@RepJasonCrow@ChrisVanHollen@SenTinaSmith@RepCasar@RepHoulahan https://t.co/HIV0JxthsO

— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) September 18, 2025

Stephen L. Miller summed up the outrage in a single sentence: “The national media being more upset at Jimmy Kimmel losing his show than they are Charlie Kirk losing his life is kind of proving the point.”

The national media being more upset at Jimmy Kimmel losing his show than they are Charlie Kirk losing his life is kind of proving the point.

— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) September 18, 2025