breakingJimmy Kimmel Live! pulled off air ‘indefinitely’ after Charlie Kirk comments, ABC confirmsMax CorstorphanThe NightlyThu, 18 September 2025 7:18AMCommentsComments
Jimmy Kimmel Live! has been taken off air “indefinitely” after the host made controversial comments about Charlie Kirk and US President Donald Trump after the prominent MAGA figure was assassinated in Utah.
Kirk died after being shot at a speaking event at Utah Valley University campus.
Following his assassination, which authorities believe was politically motivated, a manhunt for a suspect was launched, which led to the arrest of Tyler Robinson, a 22-year-old man from Utah.
Kimmel, during an episode’s opening monologue, suggested that Mr Robinson was “MAGA”.
In Monday night’s edition of the ABC show, Kimmel said: “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterise this kid (Tyler Robinson) who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it.”
Kimmel went on to criticise Mr Trump’s response to Kirk’s death, saying the US President was acting like “a four-year-old”.
Following the assassination, Mr Trump ordered flags to be flown at half mast in honour of the Turning Point USA founder’s death, also announcing that he would award Kirk posthumously with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
“This is not how an adult grieves the murder of somebody he called a friend. This is how a four-year-old mourns a goldfish, OK?” Kimmel said.
Outrage was quick, and ABC, who is owned by Disney, pulled Kimmel’s show on Wednesday evening.
“Jimmy Kimmel Live! will be pre-empted indefinitely,” an ABC spokesman told NBC News on Wednesday.
Nexstar Media Group, who owns stations which aired Jimmy Kimmel Live!, also confirmed the show was off air.
“Nexstar strongly objects to recent comments made by Mr. Kimmel concerning the killing of Charlie Kirk and will replace the show with other programming in its ABC-affiliated markets,” Nextstar said.
Following Kirk’s assassination, Kimmel took to Instagram to call out the shooting. .
“Instead of the angry finger-pointing, can we just for one day agree that it is horrible and monstrous to shoot another human?” Kimmel wrote on Instagram.
“On behalf of my family, we send love to the Kirks and to all the children, parents and innocents who fall victim to senseless gun violence.”
More to come…
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