The Federal Communications Commission is challenging Disney&#8217;s broadcast licenses as the Trump administration ramps up pressure on ABC to fire Jimmy Kimmel.
An <a href="https://x.com/MaryMargOlohan/status/2049194436505354626?s=20">FCC official confirmed to The Daily Wire</a> that ABC’s licenses are undergoing an early review, despite the standard renewal process that&#8217;s still several years off. Broadcast stations, including ABC, cannot operate over publicly owned airwaves without FCC licensing.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NEW: FCC orders the Walt Disney Company, American Broadcasting Company, and television subsidiaries to file early license renewal applications for their television stations.
&#8220;The FCC has been investigating The Walt Disney Company, its American Broadcasting Company, and its… <a href="https://t.co/8KZzuyMIsX">pic.twitter.com/8KZzuyMIsX</a>
— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryMargOlohan/status/2049194436505354626?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 28, 2026</a></blockquote>
The FCC has already scrutinized ABC’s broadcast license in connection with the company’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) hiring practices. In an April 28 order, David J. Brown, chief of the video division, said the FCC has been investigating the Walt Disney Company for compliance violations.
&#8220;Specifically, the FCC has been investigating Disney’s ABC stations for possible violations of the Communications Act of 1934 and the FCC’s rules, including the agency’s prohibition on unlawful discrimination. While Disney’s ABC has purported to respond to two FCC Letters of Inquiry Federal Communications Commission DA 26-416 2 (LOIs) as part of this investigation, the FCC has determined that additional actions are appropriate at this time,&#8221; Brown said.
&#8220;The FCC determines that calling in Disney’s ABC licenses for early renewal, at this time, under the Communications Act’s public interest standard is essential within the meaning of agency regulations,&#8221; the order stated.
Disney will be required to file renewals for all of its licensed TV stations by May 28, 2026.
A Disney spokesperson confirmed the order and vowed the company will fight it.
&#8220;ABC and its stations have a long record of operating in full compliance with FCC rules and serving their local communities with trusted news, emergency information, and public‑interest programming. We are confident that record demonstrates our continued qualifications as licensees under the Communications Act and the First Amendment, and are prepared to show that through the appropriate legal channels,&#8221; the company said in a statement to The Daily Wire.
If the FCC starts pressuring or reviewing licenses, local ABC stations could be forced to change how they operate — what they air, how they cover stories, even who they hire. That can trickle down into less freedom in programming or more cautious, filtered content. For everyday Americans, it could mean the news and entertainment you see is shaped more by regulatory pressure than just editorial decisions — especially on major networks you already watch every day.
The escalating FCC-Disney feud comes as conservatives called on the network to oust late-night host Jimmy Kimmel for joking that First Lady Melania Trump looked like an “expectant widow” — just days before a gunman attempted to assassinate President Trump at the White House Correspondents&#8217; dinner.
“His monologue about my family isn’t comedy — his words are corrosive and deepens the political sickness within America,” the First Lady said in a rare rebuke. “People like Kimmel shouldn’t have the opportunity to enter our homes each evening to spread hate.”
“A coward, Kimmel hides behind ABC because he knows the network will keep running cover to protect him,” she added. “Enough is enough. It is time for ABC to take a stand. How many times will ABC’s leadership enable Kimmel’s atrocious behavior at the expense of our community,” she added.
Soon after, the president piled on, saying Kimmel &#8220;should be immediately fired by Disney and ABC.&#8221;
In a Monday night monologue, a defiant Kimmel defended his remarks and refused to apologize.
“It was a very light roast joke about the fact that he’s almost 80 and she’s younger than I am,” he said. “It was not by any stretch of the definition a call to assassination.”
“I’ve been very vocal for many years speaking out against gun violence, in particular,” he said. “But I understand that the First Lady had a stressful experience over the weekend … and probably every weekend is pretty stressful in that house. And also, I agree that hateful and violent rhetoric is something we should reject. I do. And I think a great place to start to dial that back would be to have a conversation with your husband about it.”

Jimmy Kimmel

Kimmel Uproar Spills Over, ABC Stations Now Under Review. What It Means For Your TV.

Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel decided that instead of apologizing for his ill-timed, tasteless, and absolutely unfunny “joke” about the first lady looking forward to being a widow, he was going to double down.
The comedian said as much during his monologue Monday night after being trashed by everyone for days, including Melania Trump herself.
&#8220;I said, &#8216;Our first lady Melania&#8217;s here, look at her, so beautiful. Mrs. Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow.&#8217; Which, obviously, was a joke about their age difference and the look of joy we see on her face every time they&#8217;re together. It was a very light roast joke about the fact that he&#8217;s almost 80 and she&#8217;s younger than I am. It was not by any stretch of the definition a call to assassination,&#8221; Kimmel, an avid Trump critic, insisted.
“There was no big reaction to it until this morning, when I faced yet another Twitter vomit storm and calls to fire me from our first lady,” the host added.
<div style="max-width: 728px; margin: 0 auto;">  <iframe style="aspect-ratio: 9/16; max-width: 220px; display: flex; justify-content: center; width: 100%; margin: 20px auto 5px; border: 0;" src="https://player.mux.com/Om9afaax3au8c2eT7fV8byzEd4JvTCQ8?metadata-video-content-type=short&amp;metadata-video-id=8173e85f-bad2-4eab-b362-ba288df1367f&amp;metadata-video-stream-type=on-demand&amp;metadata-video-title=Jimmy%20Kimmel%20hits%20back%20at%20critics%20over%20Melania%20%E2%80%98widow%E2%80%99%20joke%20and%20refuses%20to%20apologize&amp;poster=https%3A%2F%2Fdailywireplus-v2.imgix.net%2Fimages%2Fshorts%2F5c8f5834-8d0d-4dc2-8468-622fb138f4ae.jpg&amp;autoplay=false&amp;accent-color=%23DB3D3B&amp;primary-color=%23ffffff&amp;secondary-color=%23000000" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div>
Critics pointed out how if it were Democrats in power, a “joke” like that about the president’s death mere days before an assassination attempt would be treated like a national crisis.
Melania did not mince words in a scathing X post she shared Monday morning.
“Kimmel’s hateful and violent rhetoric is intended to divide our country,” she wrote. “His monologue about my family isn’t comedy- his words are corrosive and deepens the political sickness within America. People like Kimmel shouldn’t have the opportunity to enter our homes each evening to spread hate.”
“A coward, Kimmel hides behind ABC because he knows the network will keep running cover to protect him. Enough is enough.  It is time for ABC to take a stand,” the first lady added. “How many times will ABC’s leadership enable Kimmel’s atrocious behavior at the expense of our community.”
Kimmel’s fake roast aired two days before California educator Cole Allen, 31, rushed a Secret Service checkpoint at the Washington Hilton armed with multiple weapons. He managed to strike an officer in his bulletproof vest before being detained and transported to a medical facility.
President Trump and other high-ranking officials were evacuated safely from the event, and there were no fatalities.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also blasted Kimmel for his “expectant widow” comments and called on ABC to reprimand the outspoken host.
&#8220;Who in their right mind says a wife would be &#8216;glowing&#8217; over the potential murder of her beloved husband?!” Leavitt said.
&#8220;And having experienced what I did with the First Lady on Saturday night, I can tell you that she was anything but that. This kind of rhetoric about the president, the first lady, and his supporters is completely deranged, and it&#8217;s unbelievable that the American people are consuming it night after night after night,&#8221; she added.
Kimmel’s show was briefly suspended in September after erroneous statements he made about the man who assassinated Charlie Kirk. He issued a statement afterwards, but did not apologize.

Jimmy Kimmel Hits Back At Critics Over Melania ‘Widow’ Joke And Refuses To Apologize

assassination attempt

comedian

Donald Trump

Media

Melania Trump

Politics

Television

I spent the day watching more of “The View” than I ever have before in my life.
Turns out, the insufferable hosts of this failing network show, on Disney-owned ABC, took it upon themselves to spend seven uninterrupted minutes on national television <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/daily-wire-host-fires-back-after-the-view-melts-down-over-her-support-for-young-families?author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Daily+Wire+Host+Fires+Back+After+%E2%80%98The+View%E2%80%99+Melts+Down+Over+Her+Support+For+Young+Families">bashing me</a> by name, and anyone else with the audacity to promote marriage and parenthood to Gen Z.
I’ve been a content creator since 2019, covering some of the most contentious issues in the American culture war, and I’ve gotta be honest: I never thought this, my most wholesome, pro-America take, would be the thing I’d get attacked for.
Last week, I joined a panel of incredible women on stage at CPAC to discuss the importance of the American family, and was asked specifically to talk about what it’s going to take to save America. My answer was one <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/daily-wire-host-torches-the-view-over-claim-only-rich-women-can-afford-kids?author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Daily+Wire+Host+Torches+%E2%80%98The+View%E2%80%99+Over+Claim+Only+Rich+Women+Can+Afford+Kids">I often repeat</a> in speeches or interviews, and reflects a simple timeless truth — we must renew the importance of the family as the cornerstone of society again to a generation that’s being lied to about it. Addressing a crowd older than myself, I said this:
<blockquote>If you’re not encouraging your children to grow up and have the courage to grow up to get married and have kids — more kids than they can afford, before they think they’re ready, it is high time to start.</blockquote>
Before long, Whoopi Goldberg &amp; company would be furious and virtually foaming at the mouth over the very idea that I promote marriage and motherhood to my generation, and dedicated an entire segment of everyone’s favorite “View-erless” show to launch an attack. 
The “anti-family” segment on &#8220;The View&#8221; opened with Whoopi predictably labeling me a racist – because, clearly, I must only want more white people to have children as a white woman myself. That’s obviously not true. 
But it’s a curious criticism coming from Whoopi Goldberg, an ardent supporter of the abortion industry, which grew in America specifically as a way to kill black babies in the womb at the hands of renowned and infamous eugenicist Margaret Sanger, founder of Planned Parenthood.
In 2022, Black women made up about 40 % of all abortions reported in the U.S. – in New York City today, as Whoopi Goldberg runs her mouth on television from the heart of Manhattan, you are more likely to be aborted as a black baby than you are to be born… all in the name of racial progress and equity, right?
Let me be clear: the only racial component to any of this is the continued desire by the abortion industry to convince black women it’s more empowering to end the lives of their children than to give birth to them.
Moving through the panel, Sara Haines spent her time on air reminding viewers that having kids is a choice. That’s true. But what about my choice, and that of literally billions of other women around the world, to get married and have children? The very notion is seemingly unfathomable to the women on this miserable panel.
In other words, if you make the choice to “want” kids – it’s the wrong choice. You’re less of a woman. You aren’t a feminist. You don’t support equality. You deserve to be publicly SHAMED, which is exactly what they proceed to do to me.
Ironically, every woman but one around that table has children of their own. And every one of them is either in a long-term relationship or has been married. They somehow make it work as working moms. They have had the courage to commit their lives to someone they love. They get to snuggle their babies at the end of a long day of work — so, why isn’t it worth pursuing for you?
For the rest of the segment, all of the hosts collectively wasted air throwing out every anti-natalist argument to see what would stick.
They lied, saying having children is somehow beneath women, that we as a sex (amazing, how suddenly we can all define woman, right?) have come “too far” to still be sucked into the innate, natural, instinctual desire to have a beautiful baby and share your life with someone.
They lied, claiming childcare costs a whopping $400,000 a year, so must be financially inaccessible to anyone outside of the 1% of the 1%. For the record, it costs about $10,000-$15,000 on average a year… but I wouldn’t expect a woman screaming at me in an $800 jacket to know.
They lied, saying if you want a baby you must be in an abusive, oppressive marriage to an evil, misogynistic man–and someone ought to help you escape with a divorce attorney. To clarify: I love my husband, and no one is more supportive of my motherhood journey or my career.
They lied, saying that I must not understand how tough having kids are because I have a mere one-year-old, who “just sleeps all day.” News to me, after over a year of my life not sleeping all the way through the night.
They lied, saying that breastfeeding ruins your boobs. I know Whitney Cummings remains deeply concerned about my breasts – after 11 months of breastfeeding my daughter, they’re doing just fine.
They lied, of course, to claim we’re facing an overpopulation crisis, which is objectively the opposite of our current reality. In fact, over half of the world’s countries and areas now have fertility rates below the replacement level of 2.1 children per woman. These countries represent over two-thirds of the global population, and that number is expected to increase to over 90% by the end of this century.
By 2030, nearly 45% of American women aged 25-44 are projected to be single and childless.
It’s not hard to understand why – virtually every single influencer, television show, movie, college professor, woke pastor, politician, and mainstream media outlet today is dedicating massive air time to trying to convince you NOT to have kids.
Why? Because they want you miserable and lonely. They are intentionally seeking to brainwash you into what my friend &amp; fellow mom Allie Beth Stuckey calls “Toxic Empathy,” so you think you&#8217;re a better person and more compassionate for essentially hating children.
In fact, getting married and having kids is better for everyone in the long term. One study found that having kids increases your wealth by 23% throughout your life. Young married moms are three times happier than their unmarried, childless counterparts. Statistically, married, religious couples with children have the most satisfying intimate lives.
Most importantly, the joy and purpose we experience in sharing our lives with our children is unparalleled anywhere else in our often empty and meaningless society.
How dare we want that for the next generation, right?
I further find no coincidence that this segment aired this week at the start to Holy Week as we walk toward Christ’s Passion on the cross this Friday and His resurrection into heaven on Easter Sunday. The family is the most beautiful example we have of God’s perfect design for humanity. His love is exemplified for us as we lay down our lives for one another, humbling ourselves to serve our spouses and our children. The family, as a result, presents an unparalleled threat to the demonic forces of evil and darkness in our world.
St. John Paul II said during his tenure as Pope, “As the family goes, so goes the nation, and so goes the whole world in which we live,” and “The future of humanity passes by way of the family.”
&#8220;The View’s&#8221; attack on the family and those promoting it is just the latest example of spiritual warfare being waged against what is good and true and beautiful, and we must remain deeply committed to sharing the timeless truth of God even in today’s culture.
Mother Teresa once famously said, “If you want to change the world, go home and love your family.” These words have always been meaningful to me, but certainly have packed a huge gut punch this week as I reflect on the unexpected backlash to such a simple message I shared on stage last week.
It’s a call to action for all of us to ponder, and determine what course we will walk as we work to build our own American Dream as a generation among Gen Z.
The truth is, there’s no better advertisement for the joy of a God-centered marriage than the alternative being blast on full display from the set of &#8220;The View&#8221; – would you rather live among the misery, contempt, and judgment of these angry middle aged women, or pursue purpose and fulfillment in marriage and motherhood while you can?
So, thanks to the ladies of &#8220;The View&#8221; for giving me another opportunity to address this issue. In case it wasn’t clear, I stand by everything I said at CPAC. And in case you’re still unsure at this point, let me reiterate:
Have the courage to fall in love, get married, and make more babies.
It’s good for the world, and even better for you.

JOY BEHAR, SARA HAINES, WHOOPI GOLDBERG, ROBIN WRIGHT, SUNNY HOSTIN, ALYSSA FARAH

I Told Gen Z To Get Married And Have Kids — ‘The View’ Lost Its Mind

I Told Gen Z To Get Married And Have Kids — 'The View' Lost Its Mind

Children

Feminism

Marriage

Planned Parenthood

The View

Whoopi Goldberg

Reality star Taylor Frankie Paul has released another statement following the cancellation of her season of “The Bachelorette,” promising to reveal more of her story soon.
The 31-year-old “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” alum released the update via her spokesperson. This came after a video of an alleged domestic violence incident between her and then-partner Dakota Mortensen was released to TMZ and then blasted all over social media. 
&#8220;Taylor is very grateful for ABC’s support as she prioritizes her family’s safety and security. After years of silently suffering extensive mental and physical abuse as well as threats of retaliation, Taylor is finally gaining the strength to face her accuser and taking steps to ensure that she and her children are protected from any further harm,” the statement said, per <a href="https://people.com/taylor-frankie-paul-speaks-out-bachelorette-cancellation-11928842">People</a>. 
&#8220;There are too many women who are suffering in silence as they survive aggressive, jealous ex-partners who refuse to let them move on with their lives. Taylor has remained silent out of fear of further abuse, retaliation and public shaming. She is currently exploring all of her options, seeking support, and preparing to own and share her story.&#8221;
A previous statement from Paul’s rep noted that the video “omits context” and insinuated that Mortensen was the abuser, not the victim.
A Disney Entertainment spokesperson <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-video-shows-taylor-frankie-paul-brutally-attacking-baby-daddy-bachelorette-axed">announced</a> Thursday that this season of “The Bachelorette,” which Paul was starring in, was put on hold. “In light of the newly released video just surfaced today, we have made the decision to not move forward with the new season of ‘The Bachelorette’ at this time, and our focus is on supporting the family,” the statement said.
“The Bachelorette” was slated to premiere this Sunday, on March 22. The network is projected to lose millions due to the cancellation, from advertising dollars to viewers to wasted promotion fees and beyond.
The decision was made shortly after TMZ published a video of Paul getting into a physical altercation with Mortensen, the father of her child, Ever. Paul has the majority custody of Ever. She also has two children, daughters Indy and Ocean, 5, with her ex-husband, Tate Paul.
“This is called physical abuse,” Mortensen can be heard saying as he films their fight. Paul can be seen throwing chairs at him while her daughter, Indy, now 8, was in the room and crying.
Mortensen says at another point, “Your daughter just got hit in the head by a metal chair.”
The incident occurred in 2023. Paul pled guilty in abeyance to aggravated assault at the time, meaning that if she complied with the conditions of the plea, that charge would be dismissed.
The newest season of “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” was also put on hold just days before the cancellation because of &#8220;some pretty serious stuff happening regarding [Paul&#8217;s] past,&#8221; a source told People.

Taylor Frankie Paul

READ IT: ‘Mormon Wives’ Star Taylor Frankie Paul Responds To Baby Daddy Attack Video

Disney

Entertainment

Reality TV

A spokesperson for Taylor Frankie Paul pushed back following the release of a video of her allegedly engaging in domestic abuse with her baby daddy.
“It’s sad to see the latest installment of his never-ending, desperate, attention-seeking, destructive campaign to harm Taylor without any regard for the consequences for their child. Releasing an old video, which conveniently omits context, on their son&#8217;s birthday is a reprehensible attempt to distract from his own behavior. Thankfully, the public has seen this act before and knows who he is and sadly, many will recognize this pattern of manipulation, both in his actions on the show, and from their own experiences,” the spokesperson told People.
Taylor Frankie Paul’s season of &#8220;The Bachelorette&#8221; has been canceled by ABC following the release of a video of her allegedly engaging in domestic abuse with her baby daddy and former boyfriend Dakota Mortensen, per <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2026/03/19/abc-cancels-the-bachelorette-starring-taylor-frankie-paul/">TMZ</a>.
A Disney Entertainment spokesperson told the outlet, “In light of the newly released video just surfaced today, we have made the decision to not move forward with the new season of &#8216;The Bachelorette&#8217; at this time, and our focus is on supporting the family.”
The decision was made shortly after TMZ published a video of Paul getting into a physical altercation with Mortensen, the father of her child, Ever. Paul has the majority custody of Ever. She also has two children, daughters Indy and Ocean, 5, with her ex-husband, Tate Paul.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨 EXCLUSIVE: Taylor Frankie Paul repeatedly attacked Dakota Mortensen during the 2023 incident in which she pled guilty to aggravated assault; video shows that one of her children was struck during the fight.
Trigger Warning. <a href="https://t.co/77CKYpLxvn">https://t.co/77CKYpLxvn</a> <a href="https://t.co/avr49EacY3">pic.twitter.com/avr49EacY3</a>
— TMZ (@TMZ) <a href="https://twitter.com/TMZ/status/2034673546341797906?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 19, 2026</a></blockquote>
“This is called physical abuse,” Mortensen can be heard saying as he films their fight. Paul can be seen throwing chairs at him while her daughter, Indy, now 8, was in the room and crying.
Mortensen says at another point, “Your daughter just got hit in the head by a metal chair.”
Paul, made famous on the series “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” was arrested for alleged domestic violence in 2023 following an argument with Mortensen, per <a href="https://people.com/taylor-frankie-paul-throws-chairs-at-dakota-mortensen-with-child-nearby-in-leaked-video-11930003">People</a>. She pled guilty in abeyance to aggravated assault, meaning that if she complied with the conditions of the plea, that charge would be dismissed. The show was also put on hold after the video surfaced. “The Bachelorette” was slated to premiere on Sunday, March 22.
Besides starring on “Mormon Wives,” she is also one of the creators of #MomTok, a group of Utah moms who create popular dancing TikTok videos.
Paul spoke with People on March 17 as she was still promoting her season of &#8220;The Bachelorette.&#8221;
&#8220;Honestly, just like, my heart hurts to see it, to go through it, especially at this time,&#8221; she told the outlet. &#8220;Just the timing is hard, and it’s a big deal. I feel like every premiere that I’ve experienced, I’ve never enjoyed fully, so this is another one&#8230; it’s extremely hard, and it took everything to get me here today.”
&#8220;It’s a heavy time, and it’s unfortunate,&#8221; Paul continued. &#8220;I’m struggling for sure, but also at the same time I feel like if I don’t show up, then I’m just giving these opportunities away and not enjoying what we’ve worked on and something super exciting that’s coming. I just feel like it was the right thing to do&#8230; show up even though it’s hard.&#8221;
&nbsp;

WATCH: Video Shows Taylor Frankie Paul Brutally Attacking Baby Daddy — ‘Bachelorette’ Axed

The Bachelor

U.S.

Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel is still complaining about his brief hiatus from television, this time by claiming that conservative media outlets “maliciously mischaracterized” what he said about Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
The 57-year-old rehashed the topic during the annual Bloomberg Screentime event on Wednesday.
“I didn&#8217;t think there was a big problem,” Kimmel said of his initial reaction to the killing of Kirk. “I just saw it as distortion on the part of some of the right-wing media networks, and I aimed to correct it.”
Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw said Kimmel’s comments were likely “mischaracterized,” and Kimmel agreed.
“It was intentionally and I think maliciously mischaracterized,” Kimmel replied. 
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Jimmy Kimmel on His Return to Air and Late Night’s Future in the Trump Era" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pSvFLrrSu94?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Kimmel came under fire last month for saying “the MAGA gang” was “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.”
<a class="c-link" href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=fall40&amp;utm_content=fallsale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=fall40&amp;utm_content=fallsale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial" data-sk="tooltip_parent">Get 40% off new DailyWire+ annual memberships with code FALL40 at checkout!</a>
His show was suspended after that, sparking national outrage from the entertainment industry and others, who perceived pressure from the Trump administration as an attack on free speech. The suspension lasted less than a week, and upon his return, Kimmel delivered a tearful non-apology during his monologue.
“It was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man,” Kimmel said, addressing his earlier comments about Kirk. “I don’t think there’s anything funny about it … nor was it my intention to blame any specific group for what was the actions … of an obviously deeply disturbed individual. 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 to those who think I did point a finger, I get why you’re upset.”
While speaking with Bloomberg, Kimmel said his first episode back “probably went as well as it could go.”
The late-night host had previously suggested that the Trump administration was behind his suspension, but then, during his interview with Bloomberg, Kimmel said he’d “love to have Trump on the show.”
Kimmel’s comeback episode drew big numbers — but the bump didn’t last.

Kimmel Claims His Comments On Charlie Kirk’s Assassination Were ‘Maliciously Mischaracterized’

Kimmel Claims His Comments On Charlie Kirk's Assassination Were 'Maliciously Mischaracterized'

Celebrities

Charlie Kirk

Jimmy Kimmel couldn’t help but gloat about his post-suspension viewership spike, going so far as to publicly thank President Donald Trump for making it all possible. But after a very brief ratings boost, those numbers have come crashing back down to normal.
The ABC late-night host was temporarily taken off the air after comments he made about assassinated conservative activist Charlie Kirk. After a suspension that lasted less than a week, Kimmel returned to the air with a tearful non-apology, whining about how his words must have been misconstrued.
Kimmel’s return last Tuesday evening drew a record-breaking 6.3 million viewers, more than triple his regular audience. By Thursday, those numbers had dropped by 64%, leveling off at 2.3 million.
In the coveted demographic of viewers aged 25-54, “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” dropped from 1.7 million viewers on Tuesday to 465,000 on Thursday, according to <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/09/29/media/jimmy-kimmel-sheds-64-of-audience-after-short-lived-ratings-spike-following-suspension/">The New York Post</a>.
The saga began earlier this month when Kimmel was accused of slandering conservatives when he suggested Kirk’s assassin was part of the “MAGA gang,” despite authorities saying otherwise. “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang trying to characterize this kid who killed Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said at the time.
<a class="c-link c-link--focus-visible" href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=fall40&amp;utm_content=fallsale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=fall40&amp;utm_content=fallsale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial" data-sk="tooltip_parent">Get 40% off new DailyWire+ annual memberships with code FALL40 at checkout!</a>
While the host addressed the controversy during his return monologue, many viewers found his comments to be insincere, noting that he stopped short of apologizing for what he had said.
“Kimmel is an unrepentant liar who tried to blame Charlie’s assassination on the part of the country that just spent the last 2 weeks praying and holding vigils,” Turning Point USA spokesman Andrew Kolvet said in response, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/unrepentant-liar-charlie-kirks-team-is-not-buying-jimmy-kimmels-crocodile-tears">reported</a>. “What he’s really saying is that he still thinks it’s fair game to slander conservatives. He would rather advance his own political and cultural agenda than confront the truth.”
Kolvet added, “It’s critical that liars admit they lied. There can be no restoration without that. Anything short of that is a fake and scripted cry line designed to endear him to his fans, not to make right the wrong he committed.”
The Left is exploiting Kimmel’s suspension to push the narrative that free speech is under siege and to fault the Trump administration for silencing critics. But others have noted how ABC made a business decision to suspend Kimmel, which they were well within their rights to do.

Jimmy Kimmel’s Ratings Spike Crashes Back Down To His Usual Terrible Numbers

Jimmy Kimmel Viewership Spike Crashes Back Down To Terrible Numbers As Usual

Cable providers Nexstar and Sinclair reversed course on Friday, saying that they would stop preempting the ABC late-night comedy show hosted by Jimmy Kimmel beginning that night — after about a week of refusing to air &#8220;Jimmy Kimmel Live.&#8221;
Nexstar released a statement regarding the change on Friday afternoon, stating that the decision had been made after discussions with ABC parent company Disney — and that the intent was to bring programming that the public would appreciate and enjoy.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=fall40&amp;utm_content=fallsale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial">Get 40% off new DailyWire+ annual memberships with code FALL40 at checkout.</a>
&#8220;We have had discussions with executives at The Walt Disney Company and appreciate their constructive approach to addressing our concerns,” Nexstar said. “As a local broadcaster, Nexstar remains committed to protecting the First Amendment while producing and airing local and national news that is fact-based and unbiased and, above all, broadcasting content that is in the best interest of the communities we serve. We stand apart from cable television, monolithic streaming services, and national networks in our commitment — and obligation — to be stewards of the public airwaves and to protect and reflect the specific sensibilities of our communities.”
&#8220;To be clear, our commitment to those principles has guided our decisions throughout this process, independent of any external influence from government agencies or individuals,&#8221; the statement added.
Sinclair released a similar statement on Friday as well, saying that the broadcast corporation remained committed to providing quality entertainment and had also discussed the matter at length with ABC.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Sinclair announces end of preemption of Jimmy Kimmel Live! &#8211; show returns to air this evening on Sinclair’s ABC affiliates <a href="https://t.co/DvBwhhuV4Z">pic.twitter.com/DvBwhhuV4Z</a>
— Sinclair, Inc. (@WeAreSinclair) <a href="https://twitter.com/WeAreSinclair/status/1971636546534285506?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 26, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Kimmel drew ire over comments he made about assassinated conservative commentator Charlie Kirk — suggesting that the “MAGA gang” was desperate to use the shooting for political purposes — and was eventually preempted by both Nexstar and Sinclair. ABC parent company Disney responded by suspending him “indefinitely,” but he was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jimmy-kimmel-returns-addresses-charlie-kirk-comments-in-teary-non-apology">returned</a> to the air on Tuesday despite still being preempted by Nexstar and Sinclair at the time.

Jimmy Kimmel Blackout Officially Ends As Nexstar, Sinclair Reverse Course

President Donald Trump ripped into ABC on Tuesday for lifting Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension, suggesting that he might take legal action against the television network. 
Kimmel made his return to TV on Tuesday after being suspended for nearly a week over comments he made about the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk. In a Truth Social post responding to the move, Trump attacked both Kimmel and ABC. 
“I can’t believe ABC Fake News gave Jimmy Kimmel his job back. The White House was told by ABC that his Show was cancelled! Something happened between then and now because his audience is GONE, and his ‘talent’ was never there,” Trump wrote. “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.”
Trump stated that he may take legal action against ABC over Kimmel’s partisan bias, claiming it could constitute an &#8220;illegal campaign contribution.&#8221;
“He is yet another arm of the DNC and, to the best of my knowledge, that would be a major Illegal Campaign Contribution. 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 added. 
Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-wins-millions-in-defamation-suit-against-abc-news-george-stephanopoulos">previously</a> won $16 million from ABC after he sued for defamation after host George Stephanopoulos falsely claimed that Trump was found “liable for rape.&#8221;
Kimmel had claimed that Kirk’s assassin was part of Donald Trump&#8217;s &#8220;Make America Great Again&#8221; movement. Investigators say that the 22-year-old man arrested for Kirk’s killing was deeply steeped in leftist ideology and disliked Kirk for his conservative views.
“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,” <a href="https://x.com/newsbusters/status/1967982924986487284">said</a> Kimmel.
In his return on Tuesday night, Kimmel claimed that “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 … nor was it my intention to blame any specific group for what was the actions … of an obviously deeply disturbed individual. 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 to those who think I did point a finger, I get why you’re upset,” Kimmel said. 
Despite ABC lifting Kimmel’s suspension, major broadcast groups Sinclair and Nexstar have <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/another-broadcasting-company-refuses-to-air-kimmels-show?author=Amanda+Harding&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Another+Broadcasting+Company+Refuses+To+Air+Kimmel’s+Show">both said</a> they will not air new episodes of Kimmel’s show. The two companies own about 80 ABC affiliates. Sinclair has demanded that Kimmel apologize and make a financial donation to Kirk&#8217;s family.

MixCollage-24-Sep-2025-06-58-AM-7470

‘A True Bunch Of Losers’: Trump Rips Into ABC For Ending Jimmy Kimmel Suspension

Executive

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton attempted to run defense for embattled late-night comedian Jimmy Kimmel, but newly vindicated meme-maker Douglass Mackey got the last laugh.
Clinton took to X to voice her opinion, claiming that she would never attempt to silence a comedian who said something she didn’t like or found to be “offensive.” She also linked to a longer conversation she’d had on the topic with Columbia University Dean Keren Yarhi-Milo for The New Yorker.
“Jimmy Kimmel and other late-night comedians have certainly said things about me that I found offensive, even outrageous,” Clinton said. “It never crossed my mind to call up the networks and say, ‘Hey, get rid of this guy.’ Because that’s not how America works.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Jimmy Kimmel and other late-night comedians have certainly said things about me that I found offensive, even outrageous.
It never crossed my mind to call up the networks and say, &#8220;Hey, get rid of this guy.&#8221; Because that&#8217;s not how America works.
More in my conversation…
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) <a href="https://twitter.com/HillaryClinton/status/1969790254115922137?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
But Mackey, who ultimately served time in prison for a 2016 meme — encouraging people to “Avoid the Line. Vote from Home,” and “Text ‘Hillary’ to 59925” — pushed back on the twice-failed presidential candidate.
“Madame Secretary: It crossed your mind to call up Sen. Klobuchar, the FBI and the DOJ and have me arrested for a humorous meme about your campaign,” Mackey posted in response to Clinton. “You then celebrated my unlawful and wrongful conviction, which was later overturned by a federal appeals court. Sit down.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Madame Secretary:
It crossed your mind to call up Sen. Klobuchar, the FBI and the DOJ and have me arrested for a humorous meme about your campaign.
You then celebrated my unlawful and wrongful conviction, which was later overturned by a federal appeals court.
Sit down. <a href="https://t.co/KtVM7Dp2hV">https://t.co/KtVM7Dp2hV</a>
— Douglass Mackey (@DougMackeyCase) <a href="https://twitter.com/DougMackeyCase/status/1969882718369694183?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Mackey was not the only one to push back on Clinton’s claim, though. When one person asked @Grok to weigh in on whether or not Clinton had ever attempted to “get rid of” certain types of speech, even the X AI bot had something to say.
“Yes, Hillary Clinton has called for US government action on misinformation. For instance, in 2024 she suggested civil or criminal charges for Americans spreading propaganda (MSNBC interview). In 2021, she urged governments to ‘rein in’ social media disinformation (Chatham House talk). In 2016, she said fake news must be addressed quickly by leaders (Capitol Hill speech). Sources: Yahoo, Newsweek, NPR,” the response read.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Yes, Hillary Clinton has called for US government action on misinformation. For instance, in 2024 she suggested civil or criminal charges for Americans spreading propaganda (MSNBC interview). In 2021, she urged governments to &#8220;rein in&#8221; social media disinformation (Chatham House…
— Grok (@grok) <a href="https://twitter.com/grok/status/1970195858525425857?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
A number of others also pointed out that Clinton, despite her declared interest in free speech, had turned off the replies to her post.

Former Secretary Of State Hillary Clinton’s Portrait Unveiled At The State Department

Conservative Influencer Targeted By Biden Admin Blasts Hillary Clinton After She Defends Kimmel

General

Hillary Clinton

Lawfare

Memes

Howard Stern announced on his radio show Monday that he canceled his Disney Plus subscription as a form of protest against Jimmy Kimmel being suspended.
“I’m trying to say with the pocketbook that I do not support what they’re doing with Jimmy,” the shock jock told his audience. “I can no longer keep my mouth shut … I feel obligated to say something, because s***’s getting outta control,” Stern said at another point.
“I just know, when the government begins to interfere, when the government says, ‘I’m not pleased with you, so we’re going to orchestrate a way to silence you,’ it’s the wrong direction for our country,” Stern added. “And I should know. I’ve been involved in something like this,” he said, referencing multiple fines from the FCC his show has received over the years for indecent content.
“Jimmy Kimmel Live” was suspended last week after comments the host made about Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old man accused of assassinating conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Kimmel falsely claimed that Kirk’s assassin was a MAGA supporter.
“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,” Kimmel said during his show.
The late-night host’s suspension came amid pressure from broadcast companies that own ABC affiliates, including Nexstar and Sinclair, who pulled the show from their stations.
While most of Hollywood is crying about censorship, there’s an alternate explanation being given for Kimmel’s show getting pulled, which has to do with low ratings. 
“If Howard is sad about Kimmel’s absence on air, he should talk to ABC who made the decision to pull down his unfunny and unpopular show,” White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said in a statement to <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/09/22/media/howard-stern-blasts-abc-suspension-of-jimmy-kimmel-cancels-disney/">the New York Post</a>.
“This has nothing to do with free speech; low-ratings loser Kimmel is free to make whatever bad jokes he wants, but a private company is under no obligation to lose money producing unpopular shows,” she added. “Kimmel’s ratings have declined over 63 percent since his show moved to its current time slot and he has lost over 43 percent of his audience since President Trump returned to office.”

Howard Stern

Howard Stern Says He Canceled His Disney Plus Account Over Jimmy Kimmel Suspension

boycott

Several Marvel stars are urging a boycott of their own parent company, Disney, following last week’s suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live. Kimmel&#8217;s show airs on ABC, which Disney also owns.
“She-Hulk” actress Tatiana Maslany told her Instagram followers to terminate their streaming services, writing, “Cancel your @disneyplus @hulu @espn subscriptions!” 
Actor Pedro Pascal shared a similar message on social media Thursday, asking fans to boycott as a means to “defend free speech” and “defend democracy.”
Marisa Tomei, who played Aunt May in several Marvel Spider-Man films, also instructed her followers to “unsubscribe and boycott” Disney and ABC.
Marvel actor and outspoken leftist Mark Ruffalo also wrote that the company&#8217;s stock will &#8220;go down a lot further if they cancel&#8221; Kimmel&#8217;s show permanently.
&#8220;Disney does not want to be the ones that broke America,&#8221; Ruffalo <a href="https://www.threads.com/@markruffalo/post/DO1CP-Jjtsj">wrote</a> in a Threads post. He also told fans that he’s on Kimmel’s side by posting a photo of them standing together, which included the caption, “Standing with you Jimmy Kimmel Live!” 
Ruffalo said during a No Kings online event, “My industry doesn’t really understand what’s happening right now, but what they do understand is our freedom of speech is being attacked.”
“Lost” creator Damon Lindelof threatened to sever ties with Disney on social media, saying he could not &#8220;in good conscience work for the company&#8221; until Kimmel&#8217;s show is back on the air. Lindelof&#8217;s threat is significant because he is involved in an upcoming Star Wars and Lucasfilm project, according to <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/jimmy-kimmel-suspension-reactions-marvel-disney-stars-1236376120/">The Hollywood Reporter</a>. Disney owns Lucasfilm and the Star Wars brand.
“I was shocked, saddened and infuriated by yesterday’s suspension and look forward to it being lifted soon. If it isn’t, I can’t in good conscience work for the company that imposed it,” Lindelof <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DOwIihziT9Z/">wrote</a>.
A statement voicing outrage over the suspension has been signed by more than 600 comedians, including Jimmy Fallon, Chelsea Handler, Rosie O’Donnell, W. Kamau Bell, Kathy Griffin, David Cross, Kevin Nealon, Margaret Cho, and others.
“It’s a dark time for comedians, and by extension, for all Americans,” it <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-vhY9XHKjmqUJ50imhEn4UPXTTYgxY9XlZ83hhA2k_o/edit?tab=t.0">reads</a>. “When the government targets one of us, they target us all. They strike at the heart of our shared humanity. They strip away the basic right every person deserves: to speak freely, question boldly and laugh loudly.”
The comments from Kimmel that prompted the backlash included the host falsely claiming that Kirk’s assassin was a MAGA supporter. Investigators say that Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old man arrested for Kirk’s killing, was deeply steeped in leftist ideology and disliked the conservative commentator for his beliefs.
“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,” Kimmel said during his show last week.
The late-night host’s suspension came amid pressure from broadcast companies that own ABC affiliates, including Nexstar and Sinclair, who pulled the show from their stations.

Kimmel

Marvel Stars Turn On Parent Company, Call For Disney Boycott After Kimmel Suspension

Menu

ABC