Donald Trump says American late-night comedian Jimmy Kimmel was taken off the air because of “bad ratings” as Democrats slam the move as an attack on free speech.
Jimmy Kimmel Live, which has been airing on the Disney-owned American Broadcasting Company (ABC) since 2003, was suddenly and indefinitely suspended on Thursday, local time, after Mr Kimmel made comments relating to slain conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.
“Many in MAGA land are working very hard to capitalise on the murder of Charlie Kirk,” Mr Kimmel said on his show, adding that Mr Trump’s response was “not how an adult grieves the murder of someone he called a friend”.
“This is how a 4-year-old mourns a goldfish, OK?”
Mr Kirk was shot dead at a speaking event in Utah earlier this month.
The late-night host is a frequent critic of Mr Trump, and his comments prompted a number of ABC’s local stations to pull the program from their schedules.
US President Donald Trump says Jimmy Kimmel was fired for saying a “horrible thing” about deceased conservative influencer Charlie Kirk. (Reuters: Leon Neal/Pool)
ABC later said it had suspended the show indefinitely, leading Democratic politicians and Hollywood figures to accuse the Trump administration and Republicans of mounting an assault on free speech rights.
When asked about the suspension during his visit in the UK, Mr Trump said Mr Kimmel was “fired because he had bad ratings more than anything else”.
“He said a horrible thing about a great gentleman known as Charlie Kirk,” he said.
“Jimmy Kimmel is not a talented person, he had very bad ratings and they should’ve fired him a long time ago.
“You can call that free speech or not, he was fired for a lack of talent.”
Democrats accuse FCC of ‘bullying’ show off air
News of Mr Kimmel’s suspension prompted a wave of reaction both in Hollywood and Washington DC.
In a joint statement from prominent Democrat leaders, the party accused TV networks of cowardice and Brendan Carr, the chairperson of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) appointed by Mr Trump, of a “corrupt abuse of power.”
The show’s suspension is prompting concerns about the future of freedom of speech in the United States. (Reuters: Daniel Cole)
On Wednesday local time, Mr Carr had urged local broadcasters to stop airing the show.Â
“He has disgraced the office he holds by bullying ABC, the employer of Jimmy Kimmel, and forcing the company to bend the knee to the Trump administration,” the Democratic statement said.
Hollywood is acutely aware the death of late-night TV is near
Writers’ and actors’ labour unions said the move amounted to an attack on constitutionally protected free-speech rights, saying ABC should not have caved in the face of US government pressure.
“What we have signed on to — painful as it may be at times — is the freeing agreement to disagree,” the Writers Guild of America West and Writers Guild of America East said in a joint statement.Â
“Shame on those in government who forget this founding truth. As for our employers, our words have made you rich. Silencing us impoverishes the whole world.”
It is far from the first time Mr Trump has taken aim at American broadcasters he perceives as unfriendly.
Mr Trump has repeatedly threatened to pull licenses from television stations and has pressured broadcasters to stop airing content he finds objectionable.Â
He has also trained his ire on print media with the filing of a $15 billion defamation lawsuit against the New York Times.
ABC/wires