Trump’s repeated jibes about Kimmel’s ratings do have a point – all late-night shows are well below their heyday, and perhaps a part of Kimmel is relishing the renewed relevance this row has given him.
His supporters, unsurprisingly, have been buoyed by both his jokes and his unbowed tone.
Among TV critics and commentators, LateNighter, external founder and publisher Jed Rosenzweig told BBC News: “We’ll have to wait and see how it affects the debate, but Jimmy Kimmel proved last night that his strength as a broadcaster isn’t just in telling jokes, but in commanding the room when the stakes are highest.
“He turned a high-pressure return into a monologue that was equal parts moving, fearless, and funny.”
Hollywood news site Deadline’s Dominic Patten declared, external that Kimmel “more than met the moment Tuesday – like we kinda knew he would”.
Kimmel “came out swinging at President Donald Trump in a defiant monologue”, wrote Tommy Christopher on Mediaite, external.
“He sounded like a man speaking with the strength of his convictions,” wrote the Boston Globe’s Chris Vognar, external. “And now he’s got his platform back. It will be fascinating to see where this all goes in the coming days and weeks.”
However, the New York Times’ Mark Walker noted, external: “Some commentators on the right accused Mr Kimmel of faking his getting choked up as he discussed Mr Kirk’s death, while others did not believe he was sufficiently apologetic.”
And the Telegraph’s Kara Kennedy, external wasn’t impressed by Kimmel’s “self-pitying monologue”.
“Progressives may wish to paint him as a martyr; but the show goes on,” she wrote. “So much, then, for America teetering on the brink of fascism. If this is tyranny, it comes with an ABC logo, a studio audience, and the kind of recycled jokes that make you long for the ad break.”
This may be the end of Kimmel’s suspension but it feels like just the start of the next phase in the increasingly acrimonious relationship between the president and the media.