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Thu 25 September 2025 18:44, UK
A group of Disney shareholders have launched an official investigation into whether Disney violated its fiduciary duties by suspending Jimmy Kimmel and therefore bowing to the pressure of the Trump administration.
Kimmel’s late-night show faced a prolonged period of suspension after his comments on Charlie Kirk’s death were not taken well by the network. Among other comments, Kimmel condemned Trump’s personal reaction to Kirk’s death, saying, “This is not how an adult grieves the murder of someone he calls a friend. This is how a four-year-old mourns a goldfish.” ABC labelled his comments “offensive and insensitive at a critical time in our national political discourse”.
Now, Disney chief Bob Iger has been sent a letter on behalf of two shareholders, who have demanded further details of the suspension that became a huge symbol of censorship in American media.
The letter on behalf of the Disney shareholders — the American Federation of Teachers, which is affiliated with the AFL-CIO, and Reporters Without Borders — requested all Disney documents and communications related to the decision to take Kimmel off the air for a week. The decision is potentially a violation of Disney’s obligations to its shareholders.
The group, which self-describes as “pro-democracy”, writes in their letter that they are looking for “answers about whether Disney was involved in any wrongdoing in relation to the Kimmel suspension.”
It added, “There is a credible basis to suspect that the [Disney] Board and executives may have breached their fiduciary duties of loyalty, care, and good faith by placing improper political or affiliate considerations above the best interests of the Company and its stockholders.”
The groups invoked shareholder rights under Delaware law to obtain information from corporations. Requests are granted in specific cases, such as a breach of fiduciary duty, and not for routine management decisions.
On his second night back on air, Kimmel branded Trump a “bully”, while on the night of his return, Kimmel made an emotional confession to his audience, insisting, “It was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man.”
Trump has since threatened to sue ABC for allowing Kimmel back on the air. He wrote online: “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.”
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