ABC late-night host Jimmy Kimmel is getting dragged for once again featuring a drag queen reading a book by a conservative author to young children.
Kimmel invited back “RuPaul’s Drag Race” contestant Trixie Mattel, whose legal name is Brian Firkus, to read from Eric Trump’s new memoir “Under Siege: My Family&#8217;s Fight to Save Our Nation” for the bit, which aired last week.
Kimmel mentioned the reviews for the newly published book during his opening monologue.
&#8220;There&#8217;s one star and five star; there&#8217;s nothing in between, which is sad because it shows how divided this country is, and that&#8217;s not good for anyone,&#8221; Kimmel said. &#8220;So in order to build a bridge and to join hands through literature, we asked a prominent member of the Left to read Eric Trump&#8217;s book to young people so they could decide on their own what they think about it.&#8221;
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He then cut to footage of Firkus, who walked into a room full of children in full drag and asked them, “Do I scare any of you?” to which they all said no.
&#8220;You just look amazing. Why would that be scary?&#8221; one little girl replied.
Firkus asked the kids if they wanted to help pick a book to read and joked, &#8220;Because this is, after all, a democracy. As of this morning, it&#8217;s still a democracy. I&#8217;m not sure &#8230;&#8221;
&#8220;Would you like to read a book by President Trump?&#8221; the drag performer asked, prompting the kids to boo and say no. &#8220;Hold up. What about President Trump&#8217;s least favorite son?&#8221; Firkus asked.
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During the exchange, the drag performer questioned a child about being potty trained before joking that Eric Trump wasn’t.
&#8220;Listen, we have to pay respect because this ghost writer worked really hard on this,&#8221; Firkus said before reading from the book. 
He only got through a few lines before one of the children said, &#8220;Okay, I&#8217;m going to stop you there. Instead of skipping this page, we should skip the entire book. No, instead, we should skip the entire storytime and just go straight to lunch because I&#8217;m pretty hungry right now.&#8221; The drag queen offered the child a Lunchable out of his trunk.
Firkus read more from the book, saying, &#8220;How is it that my father — who spent over four decades in the public eye — never once received a speeding ticket, triumphed in the 2016 campaign and became President of the United States and was suddenly charged with almost every crime imaginable, and many unimaginable in the aftermath?&#8221; 
One child claimed that it &#8220;doesn&#8217;t make any sense.&#8221; After asking the children for their opinions, one said, &#8220;I would kick him in the [censored].&#8221;
The drag queen told the kids he wanted to show them a &#8220;special science experiment&#8221; before taking them outside to stand in front of a wood chipper.
&#8220;This might not be a great book, but it&#8217;s going to make excellent confetti,&#8221; he said, throwing Eric&#8217;s memoir into the chipper as the kids cheered. &#8220;Alright, let&#8217;s go to happy hour,&#8221; he said at the end of the bit. “I have a drink ticket.”
There were many reactions to the unfunny bit on X.
“The goal of drag is to expose kids to alternate queer identities. Disgusting groomers,” Libs of TikTok <a href="https://x.com/libsoftiktok/status/1980098617714319551">replied</a>.
“Late-night TV has officially jumped the shark,” another reply <a href="https://x.com/wienerdogwifi/status/1980101370142138868">said</a>. “Jimmy Kimmel brought a grown man dressed in drag to read a children’s book on national television — turning what should’ve been family entertainment into a political stunt mocking Trump. Hollywood keeps insisting this is ‘progress,’ but let’s call it what it is: social engineering. The goal isn’t laughter anymore — it’s indoctrination.”
“Jimmy keeps hitting new lows,” a third person <a href="https://x.com/BrandoRepublic/status/1980229394703827220">said</a>.
Kimmel is fresh off a one-week <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jimmy-kimmel-returns-addresses-charlie-kirk-comments-in-teary-non-apology">suspension</a> for comments he made about Charlie Kirk&#8217;s assassination. While his supporters in Hollywood cried censorship, Kimmel has spent his time back bashing President Trump as usual and watching his ratings <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jimmy-kimmels-ratings-spike-crashes-back-down-to-his-usual-terrible-numbers">plummet</a>.
The drag queen stunt from Kimmel is nothing new. In 2023, he <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/jimmy-kimmel-finds-perfect-way-120517841.html">did the same bit</a> with Trixie Mattel, only this time he was reading Ted Cruz’s book, “Unwoke: How to Defeat Cultural Marxism in America.”

Trixie Mattel

Kimmel’s Drag Skit Targets Eric Trump, Uses Kids As Props

Donald Trump

Drag Queen story hour

Drag Queens

Entertainment

Eric Trump

Jimmy Kimmel

Politics

Television

Late night hosts Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert admitted that President Trump did a good thing by negotiating a peace deal in the Middle East that led to the release of Israeli hostages &#8212; but they couldn’t help but temper their praise with criticism and rants, as per usual.
“What a day for Donald Trump,” Kimmel said on Monday night’s episode of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”
“You know what? He finally did something positive today and I want to give him credit for it, because I know he’s not the type to take credit for himself,” Kimmel said during his monologue. “While we’re only in the first phase of what will undoubtedly be a long and tricky process, but the fact is the bombing has stopped, the hostages have been released, and Trump deserves some of the praise for that. So I know it sounds crazy to say, but good work on that one, President Trump.”
Kimmel couldn’t resist throwing in some snark, however. “Now maybe you can not invade Portland. Just an idea,” the late night host added.
“Trump’s been lobbying hard to try to win the Nobel Prize for peace,” he went on. “Now Trump’s focused on winning the prize next year, which is fine. Let him keep trying to make peace. I’m fine with coming up with prizes and trophies to motivate. Give them the ‘Nobel Re-Open the Government and Leave Healthcare Alone’ prize.”
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Stephen Colbert also mentioned Trump’s peace deal during “The Late Show” on CBS.
“There is some good news out there today: Thanks to Trump’s newly-brokered ceasefire in Gaza, all living Israeli hostages and almost 2,000 Palestinian prisoners have been released,” the host said as the audience clapped and cheered. “It’s important. Credit where credit is due — Donald Trump did something good.”
Colbert paused then joked, “Are we still canceled? You sure? I tried,” referencing how the show will air its final episode in May 2026, as the network previously announced.
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“It’s kind of surprising to see him do something good,” Colbert marveled. “It reminds me of in &#8216;The Empire Strikes Back&#8217; when Darth Vader revealed this shocking secret.” The host then played a modified clip in which Darth Vader tells Luke he is an organ donor.
“Despite the deal on Friday, in a truly foreseeable turn of events, Trump did not receive the Nobel Peace Prize,” Colbert added. “How dare you, Nobel Committee? The man is a paragon of peace. He walks in the footsteps of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King. … After losing his campaign for the thing you don’t campaign for, Trump said he didn’t do the peace deal for the Nobel. And the White House communications director, Steven Chung, agreed, saying, ‘President Trump will continue making peace deals, ending wars, and saving lives. He has the heart of a humanitarian.’ We removed that heart from one of the detainees in our ICE facilities. He keeps it in the Oval Office next to the Diet Coke button in a little bowl.”
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Colbert also claimed that President Trump was causing turmoil in the United States while brokering peace deals overseas, trying to say that the president enforcing immigration laws was equivalent to “terrorizing communities.”
The late night host said he “agreed” with Trump’s statements about how he believed he most likely wasn’t going to heaven.
“While Trump tries to bring peace to the Middle East, he’s trying just as hard to bring war to the Midwest,” Colbert said. “And personally, I’m horrified to see how he’s stomping on my old stomping grounds of Chicago, Illinois, where I lived for over a decade. ICE has been terrorizing communities in the Windy City, going door-to-door in front of elementary schools, arresting immigrants, legal or otherwise, arresting U.S. citizens without any due process and tear-gassing journalists who are merely reporting on what they’re doing.”
Colbert’s show has been canceled, and Kimmel’s show was suspended last month after remarks he made about the man who assassinated conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The suspension was panned by Kimmel and his supporters as an attack on free speech, and they blamed it on pressure from the Trump administration.

Colbert and Kimmel

Kimmel, Colbert Praise Trump For Peace Deal, Then Mock Him

Israel

Media

Peace Deal

Stephen Colbert

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. 
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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.”
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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

Disney

U.S.

Actor Jeff Bridges is facing mockery for appearing on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” Tuesday night to deliver anti-ICE messaging while dressed as his character “The Dude” from the cult classic 1998 comedy “The Big Lebowski.”
The 75-year-old wore the recognizable cardigan and got in character while advising Americans to “calm the f*** down” about illegal immigration. Bridges was on Kimmel’s show to promote his new Disney movie, “Tron: Ares,” which is currently being <a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/tron_ares">ripped apart</a> by critics..
“We are in such a troubled time, I think, is a good way to say it,” Kimmel said. “People are getting crazier every day, and I wonder if you could perhaps summon &#8216;The Dude&#8217; to share some words of wisdom tonight.” He then got out the props to get Bridges into character.
“Hey world, The Dude here,” the actor said after donning the sweater and sunglasses. “So, uh, yeah, man. Can we just all calm the f*** down? I mean, c’mon. I’m talking about, you know, all the wars, the fighting, the canceling. I mean, let’s just chill out, man. C’mon, tone it down. We’re, like, at what? A nine? We ought to be at zero. Or zero and a half at max.”
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“ICE? Let’s get ICE off our streets and into our beverages, man,” Bridges added. “This aggression will not stand. Right? So let’s just abide. Abide together. Yes, we can do this. Now, that’s just, like, my opinion, but it’s a good one, don’t you think, Jimmy?”
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“That’s a pretty great opinion,” Kimmel agreed.
Bridges is being dragged online for his comments.
“Hollywood is a propaganda factory for the braindead,” one commenter on X <a href="https://x.com/KentuckyKOT/status/1976268301463388402">wrote</a>. “They take a beloved character and turn him into a sock puppet for their pathetic,  open-borders agenda. This isn&#8217;t entertainment; it&#8217;s a desperate, cringe-inducing attempt to make a treasonous policy palatable. It is a desecration of art for politics.”
“There are few if any groups more removed and out of touch with reality than actors. They have zero interactions with the real world and only know what their bubble tells them,” another person <a href="https://x.com/CraziestChester/status/1976268903216222287">agreed</a>.
“Jeff Bridges hasn’t been relevant since the 20th century. It makes complete sense that low-ratings loser Jimmy Kimmel would have Jeff Bridges on his show to cope with their Trump Derangement Syndrome,” White House Assistant Press Secretary Liz Huston <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/actor-jeff-bridges-tells-ice-get-off-our-streets-the-dude-character-jimmy-kimmel-live">told</a> Fox News Digital.

Bridges and Kimmel

The Cringe Abides: Jeff Bridges Turns ‘The Dude’ Into Anti-ICE Prop

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Jeff Bridges

Turning Point USA spokesperson Andrew Kolvet said he and other members of the company are glad Jimmy Kimmel was put back on the air because it ensures he no longer has “martyr” status.
&#8220;I don&#8217;t want Jimmy Kimmel to be a martyr. He doesn&#8217;t deserve it. He&#8217;s a liar, he&#8217;s an unrepentant liar, but he should not be considered a martyr by anybody,&#8221; Kolvet <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/turning-point-didnt-want-jimmy-kimmel-canceled-because-abcs-liar-doesnt-deserve-martyr">told</a> Fox News Digital in a newly published interview.
Kimmel’s late night show was suspended for less than a week after comments he made about the assassination of TPUSA founder Charlie Kirk on September 10. This led to the Left having absolute meltdowns about free speech and suggesting that the Trump administration had orchestrated the show’s suspension.
Kolvet says the best way to deal with someone like Kimmel is to let them keep lying and keep getting terrible ratings, which will eventually lead to their shows getting canceled.
&#8220;It&#8217;s important that when people lie, and they lie in that type of setting and that platform about such a huge event, that there are real consequences. And I think the best consequence would be that people just tune out,&#8221; he told the outlet. &#8220;People refuse to watch a liar on TV and that when the ratings come up and the P&amp;L statement, ABC reviews it, that they just say, ‘Hey, this isn&#8217;t worth continuing.’&#8221;
&#8220;When that happens, I don&#8217;t think that he&#8217;s gonna be able to blame us for it. I think he&#8217;s just gonna have to blame himself and his own choices, and when that happens, I&#8217;m not gonna be sad about it,&#8221; Kolvet added.
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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 <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jimmy-kimmels-ratings-spike-crashes-back-down-to-his-usual-terrible-numbers?author=Amanda+Harding&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Jimmy+Kimmel%E2%80%99s+Ratings+Spike+Crashes+Back+Down+To+His+Usual+Terrible+Numbers">dropped by 64%</a>, leveling off at 2.3 million.
Kolvet said he’s been most upset to hear the narrative that political violence is &#8220;equally as extreme whether it&#8217;s on the Right or the Left.&#8221;
&#8220;I think that&#8217;s why I keyed in on the Jimmy Kimmel saga because he tried to lie to his audience and tell us that it was actually somebody from the Right that killed Charlie and that&#8217;s just simply not true,&#8221; Kolvet said.
&#8220;There&#8217;s no facts that back that up,&#8221; he told Fox News Digital. &#8220;And that strikes me as a really fundamental problem because … if you feel you can go into that platform and lie brazenly … that says that you don&#8217;t care about us as humans. That tells me that you think that we are worth smearing, slandering, lying about and dehumanizing people. And that&#8217;s how we get this violence in the first place.&#8221;
The saga began last 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.
While the host addressed the controversy during his return monologue, many viewers, including Kolvet, found his comments to be insincere. The TPUSA spokesperson called Kimmel an “unrepentant liar.”

Turning Point Spokesman Says He’s Glad ‘Liar’ Kimmel Is Back On TV So He’s Not A ‘Martyr’

Turning Point USA

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.
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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.
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&#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

Google Bay Bridge

We Just Got Proof Of A Huge Attack On Free Speech, And It Has Nothing To Do With Jimmy Kimmel

Big Tech

Conservatives

Free Speech

Google

Jake Tapper

Matt Walsh

Social Media Censorship

Twitter

YouTube

Comedian Roseanne Barr is voicing her frustration with Jimmy Kimmel&#8217;s return on Tuesday night after being suspended for less than a week due to controversial comments, claiming that when a similar situation happened to her, it ruined her “whole life.”
&#8220;It just shows how they think. I got my whole life ruined, no forgiveness, all of my work stolen, and called a racist for time and eternity, for racially misgendering someone,&#8221; the sitcom star told NewsNation during an interview on Tuesday. &#8220;It&#8217;s a double standard.&#8221;
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&nbsp;
Despite strong ratings, Barr was written off &#8220;The Conners&#8221; in 2018 after she tweeted that former Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett looked like the offspring of the “Muslim Brotherhood &amp; Planet of the Apes.&#8221;
Barr deleted the post and apologized, but her career and reputation were permanently damaged. 
Barr claimed that at the time, Kimmel &#8220;called me a racist even though I said repeatedly, which they repeatedly censored, that it was a mistake. I thought that the woman was a white woman from Iran.&#8221; 
Jarrett was born in Iran to black parents.
She added that Kimmel &#8220;called me a racist even though he himself appeared in blackface on their network many times.&#8221;
Kimmel just returned to his late-night show following a six-day suspension that came after comments he made about the individual who assassinated conservative activist 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,” Kimmel said, which prompted his show to be taken off the air temporarily.
The late-night host was back after six days, with Disney reps saying, “We have spent the last days having thoughtful conversations with Jimmy, and after those conversations, we reached the decision to return the show on Tuesday.”
During his first monologue Tuesday night following the suspension, Kimmel referenced his comments about the Kirk assassination but did not apologize for them.
“It was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man,” Kimmel said as he became audibly emotional. “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.”
Kimmel previously apologized for appearing in blackface, saying in a 2020 statement, &#8220;There is nothing more important to me than your respect, and I apologize to those who were genuinely hurt or offended by the makeup I wore or the words I spoke.&#8221;

Roseanne Barr

Roseanne Argues Kimmel’s Return Exposes ‘Double Standard’: ‘I Got My Whole Life Ruined’

Censorship

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

President Donald Trump unloads on the United Nations, Google admits it caved to the Biden administration&#8217;s censorship demands, and Jimmy Kimmel returns to late-night after a short suspension.
It’s Wednesday, September 24, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.
Morning Wire is available on video! You can watch today’s episode here:
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">Trump At United Nations: Leftist Ideas Driving Countries To Ruin</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-976157" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Trump-Scorches-U.N-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Trump-Scorches-U.N-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Trump-Scorches-U.N-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Trump-Scorches-U.N-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Trump-Scorches-U.N-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Trump-Scorches-U.N.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Topline: In a scathing speech Tuesday, President Trump slammed world leaders at the United Nations, warning that their countries are “going to hell.”
What he said: Donald Trump spoke for about an hour and unloaded on the UN, calling it incompetent, inefficient, weak, and warning that mass migration, climate alarmism, and political correctness were laying siege to the organization’s founding principles.
“What is the purpose of the United Nations? The UN has such tremendous potential,” <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1970495659938652526">said</a> Trump. “For the most part, at least for now, all they seem to do is write a strongly worded letter, and then never follow that letter up. It&#8217;s empty words — and empty words do not solve war. The only thing that solves war &#8230; is action.”
On immigration: Trump devoted much of his speech to immigration, warning Western allies that their insistence on allowing unfettered mass migration was destroying their countries from within. 
“When your prisons are filled with so-called asylum seekers who repaid kindness with crime, it&#8217;s time to end the failed experiment of open borders,” <a href="https://x.com/cspan/status/1970501963264483514">said</a> Trump.
On energy: Trump took aim at the UN’s decades-long push to embrace far-left green energy initiatives, which he said have been ineffective, thereby increasing our reliance on China and other bad actors. 
On a Palestinian state: The topic of a Palestinian state arguably received more attention than any other issue at this week’s gathering, as influential member states have joined the call for Palestinian statehood. But President Trump remained adamant that such a move would only reward Hamas terrorists and incentivize more October 7th-style attacks. 
“The rewards would be too great for Hamas terrorists for their atrocities; this would be a reward for these horrible atrocities, including October 7th, even while they refuse to release the hostages or accept the ceasefire,” the president said.
Trump turns hard against Putin: After his address, Trump had a separate meeting with Volodmyr Zelensky and emerged with a much more supportive stance on Ukraine than in the past. Trump initially vowed to end the war on day one of his presidency, and then in recent months said Ukraine would need to accept a deal that resulted in handing over territory to Putin.
But on Tuesday, he said the Ukrainians can retake 20% of their land currently held by Russia. Writing on Truth Social, the president said that after getting to know and fully understand the situation, “I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form. With time, patience, and the financial support of Europe and, in particular, NATO, the original Borders from where this War started, is very much an option.”
Step back: This could be a leverage play to try to bring Putin back to the negotiating table, but regardless, this shift was music to the ears of NATO and many UN allies.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Biden Behind Clampdown On Conservative Speech, Google Says</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-976155" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Google-Reverses-Bans-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Google-Reverses-Bans-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Google-Reverses-Bans-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Google-Reverses-Bans-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Google-Reverses-Bans-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Google-Reverses-Bans.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Topline: Google admitted Tuesday to caving to censorship pressure from the Biden administration – and is committing to allowing all creators who it kicked off YouTube over so-called political speech “violations” the chance to return. 
Morning Wire spoke with House Judiciary Committee chairman Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), who has played a meaningful role in driving forward investigations into the “censorship industrial complex” targeting conservatives.
Jordan on Google’s letter: “They (Google and YouTube), in fact, were censoring Americans. They had kicked some people off the YouTube platform altogether – you, your channel, you&#8217;re gone. They&#8217;ve agreed to reinstate those individuals, which I think is good. They&#8217;ve said they will not use the fact-checkers, like other platforms have done – which was a big problem because fact-checkers are typically really biased against conservatives. I thought it was, again, a win for the First Amendment, a win for free expression.”
What’s next? Jordan can’t rest easy on the victory. He is concerned that the next threat to free expression has already begun to creep across the Atlantic in the form of European speech codes. The Google letter specifically mentioned two European speech codes: the Digital Services Act and the Digital Markets Act.
Jordan said: “They talked about the danger that now exists from Europe and what they&#8217;re doing and how that could, in fact, happen to Americans. And I think that&#8217;s a key point as well, because that&#8217;s something we (the Judiciary Committee) are now beginning to look at.”
Jordan mentioned the case of Irish comedian Graham Linehan, who was arrested in Britain over X posts mocking transgender ideology.
“I think it&#8217;s just a matter of time before that happens to an American,” said Jordan. “We&#8217;re particularly concerned about that relative to YouTube. There&#8217;s still this issue, I think, that we&#8217;re trying to make sure we understand fully: how people are monetizing their content or being demonetized.”
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Kimmel Claims Martyrdom While Kirk’s Legacy Grows</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-976153" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Jimmy-Kimmel-Returns-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Jimmy-Kimmel-Returns-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Jimmy-Kimmel-Returns-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Jimmy-Kimmel-Returns-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Jimmy-Kimmel-Returns-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Jimmy-Kimmel-Returns.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Topline: Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel is back on air, but with limited viewership, and Charlie Kirk’s legacy continues.
Kimmel’s short-lived suspension ended on Tuesday as ABC reinstated his show and he returned to the air. Kimmel was suspended for misleading comments on the assassination of Charlie Kirk, claiming that the conservative activist&#8217;s killer belonged to the &#8220;MAGA gang.&#8221; On his return, he played the martyr.
Kimmel: “The president of the United States made it very clear he wants to see me and the hundreds of people who work here fired from our jobs. Our leader celebrates Americans losing their livelihoods because he can&#8217;t take a joke. … We have to speak out against this. He&#8217;s not stopping, and it&#8217;s not just comedy. He&#8217;s gunning for our journalists.”
Step back: While his suspension was lifted by Disney, Kimmel didn’t have the reach he usually has. Some broadcast groups that own ABC affiliates refused to air “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/nexstar-to-preempt-abcs-jimmy-kimmel-live-despite-disney-ending-suspension">Nexstar</a>, which owns 32 ABC affiliates, said it stands by Disney’s original reasons for suspending the host and it will maintain that position until “all parties are committed to fostering an environment of respectful, constructive dialogue.”
Sinclair Broadcast Group, which operates <a href="https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/2025/09/23/these-abc-stations-in-pennsylvania-wont-air-jimmy-kimmel-tonight-sinclair-stations-in-pa-kimmel-time/86306589007/#:~:text=Where%20does%20Sinclair%20own%20ABC,and%20Exchange%20Commission%20in%20August.">40</a> ABC affiliates, isn’t airing Kimmel, either. The broadcaster said earlier this week that it is in “discussions with ABC” as it evaluates the show’s “potential return.”
For Charlie: Meanwhile, Kirk’s “American Comeback Tour” continues with volunteers from conservative media and the political world filling in to headline events.
Erika – Kirk’s widow, who’s now been elected Turning Point USA’s new CEO – vowed just days after her husband was fatally shot that his legacy would live on, this tour would continue, and that Turning Point is <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/erika-kirk-breaks-silence-after-husband-charlies-assassination-address-turning-point-usa-headquarters">adding</a> “even more tours in the years to come.” The tour has been rebranded in Kirk’s memory and is now called: “This Is the Turning Point Tour.”
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MRN 9.24.25 Thumbnail V2

Morning Brief: Trump Torches UN Elites, Google Admits Censorship & Kimmel Plays The Victim

First Amendment

Morning Wire

Russia

Ukraine

United Nations

Late night host Jimmy Kimmel made his return to television Tuesday night after almost one week of suspension.
He started out his monologue by thanking the audience and other late night hosts and fans for reaching out during his suspension.
Kimmel also addressed the comments that got him suspended in the first place &#8212; though notably, he never actually apologized.
“It was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man,” Kimmel said as he started becoming visibly emotional. “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.”
“I don’t think the murderer who shot Charlie Kirk represents anyone. I think this was a sick person who believed violence was a solution,” he added.
RELATED: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/a-true-bunch-of-losers-trump-rips-into-abc-for-ending-jimmy-kimmel-suspension">&#8216;A True Bunch Of Losers&#8217;: Trump Rips Into ABC For Ending Jimmy Kimmel Suspension</a>
Kimmel went on a rant about free speech, said it was “un-American” to take certain shows off the air, then equated his show being removed with Stephen Colbert’s “The Tonight Show” getting canceled, despite indications that the two situations were totally different.
The late night host went hard after President Trump, accusing him of not being able to “take a joke” and saying he wanted most late night shows to get canceled. Meanwhile, he played a clip of Trump saying he believed Kimmel had “no talent” as a way to prove that the president was trying to control free speech.
Later in the monologue, Kimmel also mentioned Kirk’s widow, Erika, forgiving her husband’s assassin during the memorial service over the weekend. Kimmel got emotional again when discussing her speech, calling her act of forgiveness “a selfless act of grace.” 
“That is an example we should follow,” Kimmel said.
The entertainment industry was in an uproar after Kimmel’s show was taken off the air last week over statements he made about the man who assassinated Charlie Kirk.
Even though “Jimmy Kimmel Live” came back Tuesday night, it was limited in distribution and still preempted in certain markets.
That’s because major media players Sinclair and Nexstar both announced they still would not be airing new episodes of Kimmel’s show. The two broadcast companies own or control nearly 80 ABC affiliates between them.
While Nexstar called Kimmel’s comments about Kirk’s alleged killer “ill-timed and insensitive,” Disney backtracked on their original stance after enduring days of extreme backlash from fans and celebrities.
&#8220;We have spent the last days having thoughtful conversations with Jimmy, and after those conversations, we reached the decision to return the show on Tuesday,&#8221; Disney said earlier this week.
Kimmel was taken off the air due to comments he made about the accused assassin of 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,” Kimmel said at the time.
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JIMMY KIMMEL

Jimmy Kimmel Returns, Addresses Charlie Kirk Comments In Teary Non-Apology

Broadcasting

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