 "Donald Trump, Jimmy Kimmel")
US President Donald Trump expressed his frustration on Truth Social on Tuesday after ABC reinstated late-night host Jimmy Kimmel. The move came just hours before Kimmel returned to television following a six-day suspension.
“Can’t believe ABC Fake News gave Jimmy Kimmel his job back,” Trump wrote.
In a detailed post on X, Trump criticised both Kimmel and the network, suggesting ABC was risking its reputation by bringing the host back.
“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. Why would they want someone back who does so poorly, who’s not funny, and who puts the Network in jeopardy by playing 99 per cent positive Democrat GARBAGE. He is yet another arm of the DNC and, to the best of my knowledge that would be a major illegal campaign contribution,” Trump mentioned.
“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,” he wrote.
Jimmy Kimmel returns to ABC
Jimmy Kimmel returned to ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Tuesday. “It was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man,” Kimmel said during his monologue. “I posted a message on Instagram the day he was killed sending love to his family and asking for compassion and I meant it and I still do.”
He also took a pointed jab at Donald Trump: “You almost have to feel sorry for him. He tried his best to cancel me. Instead, he forced millions of people to watch the show. That backfired bigly. He might have to release the Epstein files to distract us from this.”
Reflecting on his ABC career, he expressed gratitude: “I’ve been fortunate to work at a company that has allowed me to do the show the way we want for almost 23 years. I’ve done almost 4,000 shows on ABC, and over that time the people who run this network have allowed me to evolve and stretch the boundaries of what was once traditional for a late-night talk show, even when it made them uncomfortable, which I do a lot. Every night, they’ve defended my right to poke fun.”
Kimmel acknowledged support from colleagues and political figures: “I want to thank the people who don't support my show and what I believe, but support my right to share those beliefs anyway. Ted Cruz is right. He's absolutely right.”
“If the government gets in the business of saying you can't say what you want, it will end badly for all of us," he added.
He also thanked ABC: “I was not happy when they pulled me off the air... but they welcomed me back on the air and I thank them for that.”
ABC ends Kimmel’s suspension
ABC decided to bring back Jimmy Kimmel Live! days after suspending the show following backlash over the host’s remarks on the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Network officials said on Monday (local time), “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.”
The suspension had been imposed after Kimmel commented on Kirk’s death. In his monologue, Kimmel said many people in Make America Great Again (MAGA) circles were attempting to exploit Kirk’s murder, adding that the “MAGA gang was desperately trying to characterise this kid who murdered Kirk as anything other than one of them”.
The backlash to Kimmel’s remarks was immediate. Nexstar and Sinclair, two of ABC’s largest affiliates, pulled the show from their stations. Trump, often targeted by Kimmel, praised the suspension as “great news” and suggested that other late-night hosts should also be fired.
[With agency inputs]
 "errol musk, elon musk's father")
 "Trump, Zelenskyy")
 "Donald Trump, Trump")
 "Hong Kong")
 "Zelenskyy, Trump")
