Popular late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel returned to television on Tuesday (local time) after an almost week-long suspension over his remarks on the assassination of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.
In a heavily-worded post on Truth Social, Trump expressed shock and disappointment over the return of Jimmy Kimmel show.
Jimmy Kimmel’s show was suspended by the ABC network last Wednesday. However, in less than a week on Monday, the network announced that ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ would return. The network said that they have had some “thoughtful conversations” with the host prior to the show’s return.
However, the return of Jimmy Kimmel on television screens did not sit well with United States President Donald Trump. He said he would “test ABC out on this one” in a post on Truth Social.
Also read: Jimmy Kimmel opening monologue: From ‘Family Feud’ joke to Tylenol reference – Here’s what he said
What Donald Trump said
In a heavily worded post on Truth Social, Trump expressed shock and disappointment over the return of Jimmy Kimmel show.
“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.
He added that Kimmel plays “99% positive democrat garbage” and called him “not funny”.
“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. He is yet another arm of the DNC and, to the best of my knowledge, that would be a major Illegal Campaign Contribution,” the US President said.
Trump also referred to a defamation case last year, that the ABC decided to settle by donating $15 million to former’s eventual presidential library, and threatened another such step.
“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 said.
What Jimmy Kimmel said in his show after return
Unsurprisingly, Kimmel addressed his last monologue which led to a huge controversy and brief suspension of his show as he returned to television on Tuesday and sought to make it clear that it was never his intention to “make light” of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, reported Associated Press.
In an emotional address, Kimmel said, “I have no illusions about changing anyone’s mind, but I do want to make something clear, because it’s important to me as a human and that is, you understand 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,” he added.
“Nor was it my intention to blame any specific group for the actions of what it was obviously a deeply disturbed individual. That was really the opposite of the point I was trying to make.”