Trump is criticizing ABC for putting Jimmy Kimmel back on air after his suspension, saying the network had told the White House the show was canceled. He mocked Kimmel’s ratings, questioned his talent, and hinted at legal action.
In a Truth Social post, 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! Something happened between then and now because his audience is GONE, and his ‘talent’ was never there.”
According to People, he accused Kimmel of pushing “99% positive Democrat garbage” and claimed ABC’s decision amounted to free campaign support for Democrats, which he suggested could be illegal.
Trump also threatened to “test” ABC, saying he previously collected $16 million from the network. “This one sounds even more lucrative,” he added, before declaring Kimmel should “rot in his bad ratings.”
ABC first announced on Sept. 17 that Jimmy Kimmel Live! would be pulled “indefinitely” after Kimmel faced backlash for remarks about the death of conservative organizer Charlie Kirk.
Trump celebrated that decision at the time, calling it “great news for America” and praising ABC for “finally having the courage to do what had to be done.” He also mocked Kimmel’s ratings compared to other late-night hosts and took aim at Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers.
During a visit to the United Kingdom, Trump described Kimmel’s suspension as a firing, citing low ratings and his “horrible” comments about Kirk. “He should have been fired a long time ago,” Trump said.
The controversy followed the Sept. 10 shooting death of Kirk, 31, at a Utah Valley University event. On his show, Kimmel accused conservatives of exploiting the tragedy for political points, sparking outrage from Trump allies and conservative media.
After the remarks, broadcasters, including Nexstar and Sinclair, said they would not air Kimmel’s show unless he apologized to Kirk’s family and donated to Turning Point USA, now run by Kirk’s widow, Erika.
Despite the backlash, ABC confirmed on Sept. 23 that Kimmel would return, prompting Trump to renew his attacks. He ended his criticism by calling ABC executives “a true bunch of losers” and repeating that Kimmel should “rot in his bad ratings.”