Jimmy Kimmel Returns to Late-Night TV, Defends Free Speech Amid Controversy

Jimmy Kimmel made his return to late-night television on Tuesday, defending American political satire against what he called attempts at “intimidation” by the Trump administration. His return comes six days after Walt Disney (DIS.N) suspended his show following on-air comments about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Addressing viewers with emotion, Kimmel said, “I never intended to make light of a young man’s murder. I don’t think anything about it is funny.”

He added, “Nor did I intend to blame any particular group for the actions of an individual who was clearly troubled—it was quite the opposite of what I was trying to convey.”

Disney, the parent company of ABC Network, halted production of Jimmy Kimmel Live! on September 17. Kimmel’s monologue had suggested that supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump were eager to portray Kirk’s alleged killer as “one of their own” and accused them of seeking “political gain” from the tragedy.

Ahead of Tuesday’s broadcast, Trump tweeted that he “could not believe” ABC had reinstated Kimmel’s show, signaling potential further action against the network. On Truth Social, Trump wrote: “Why would they want back someone who performs so poorly, isn’t funny, and puts the network at risk showing 99% positive Democrat trash? He’s another arm of the DNC… I think we will look at ABC very closely.”

The Trump administration and many of its supporters had expressed outrage over Kimmel’s comments, which aired five days after Kirk was shot and killed while speaking at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. In response, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr threatened an investigation, urging television stations to suspend Kimmel’s show or face potential fines and license revocations.

Disney’s decision to reinstate Kimmel less than a week later was seen as a high-profile pushback against what many viewed as growing intimidation of media critics through lawsuits and regulatory threats. However, ABC’s two largest local affiliate groups—Nexstar Media Group and Sinclair—continued to boycott the show.

Kimmel, a four-time Oscar host, noted that Trump has targeted not only comedians he dislikes but also journalists. “He’s suing them, intimidating them,” Kimmel said.

Speaking on the importance of a free press, Kimmel added, “I know it’s not as exciting as silencing a comedian, but having a free press is vital, and it’s crazy that we’re not paying more attention to it.”

He also expressed deep respect for Kirk’s widow, Erica Kirk, who publicly forgave her husband’s alleged killer, a 22-year-old technical school student from Utah.