Jimmy Kimmel slams ‘dangerous’ Trump during TV return

Jimmy Kimmel took the chance to take a pop Donald Trump during his much-anticipated return to TV after being suspended over comments about the killing of Charlie Kirk.

The 57-year-old comedian held nothing back during his opening monologue on Tuesday (23 September), branding the president’s calls to fire fellow late night hosts “un-American” and “dangerous”.

Kimmel returned to televisions across the US and beyond after American broadcatser ABC suspended his show indefinitely following his comments accusing MAGA Republicans on trying to “capitalise” on Charlie Kirk’s death.

Kirk, 31, died after being shot in the neck while answering a question about gun violence in the US at Utah Valley University. The suspected shooter, Tyler Robinson, faces the death penalty after being charged with aggravated murder.

In an emotional address to viewers, Kimmel said it wasn’t his intention to “make light of the murder of a young man.”

Later in the speech, he confronted Trump over his comments that late night hosts Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers should also be fired, saying: “Our leader celebrates people losing their livelihoods because he can’t take a joke.”

Kimmel added: “A government threat to silence a comedian the president doesn’t like is anti-American … our government cannot be allowed to control what we do and do not say on television.”

The broadcasting host’s suspension was met with international fury, including from celebrities, politicians, and activists. A call to boycott ABC’s parent company, Disney, caused the company’s shares to drop by 0.67 per cent overnight, according to Newsweek.

Over 400 artists, including Ariana Grande, Cyndi Lauper, and Pedro Pascal, signed an open letter from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) heavily condemning political pressure that led to Kimmel’s suspension as a “dark moment for freedom of speech.”

“In an attempt to silence its critics, our government has resorted to threatening the livelihoods of journalists, talk show hosts, artists, creatives, and entertainers across the board,” the letter read. “This runs counter to the values our nation was built upon, and our Constitution guarantees.”

Donald Trump ‘crashes out’ over Jimmy Kimmel returning to TV

Posting to his Truth Social platform, Donald Trump vented his anger over ABC’s decision to reinstate Jimmy Kimmel’s late night show.

In the post, which he shared shortly following Kimmel’s return, Trump wrote: “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!”

The 74-year-old president said he couldn’t understand why the show was reinstated, accusing Kimmel of having no “talent,” saying that his “audience is GONE.”

He further threatened to “test” ABC, adding: “Last I went after them, they gave me $16 million. This one sounds even more lucrative.”

In 2024, ABC News agreed to pay $15 million to Trump to settle a defamation lawsuit after news anchor George Stephanopoulos said Trump had been found “liable for rape.”

Describing ABC as a “true bunch of losers,” Trump further whined about other shows on the network such as Jeopardy, which he called “Democrat garbage.”

“Let Jimmy Kimmel rot in his bad ratings,” he said.

While Kimmel’s ratings dropped slightly between July and August, the star’s late night show is still regularly watched by over one million Americans each week.

Meanwhile, Trump’s ratings – his approval ratings, that is – have plummeted since his inauguration in January. It took less than two months for the US president to reach a negative approval rating.

His current approval rating, according to the Economist, currently sits at -17 per cent, almost 10 per cent lower than Joe Biden at the end of his presidency.