It’s not every week that the world of late-night television collides so spectacularly with American politics, but the days surrounding September 19, 2025, have seen just that—a high-profile clash between former President Donald Trump, legendary late-night host David Letterman, and the recently suspended Jimmy Kimmel. The controversy has ignited fierce debate about free speech, political power, and the future of comedy on American television.
It all began with a tragic event: the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Utah on September 11, 2025. The killing sent shockwaves through the political and media landscape, with emotions running high on all sides. By Monday, September 15, Jimmy Kimmel, host of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, addressed the incident during his monologue. He didn’t mince words, declaring, “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it.” According to Entertainment Weekly, Kimmel’s remarks were sharp, accusing conservative Republicans of attempting to deflect blame while exploiting the tragedy for political advantage.
The fallout was swift. Nexstar Media Group, a major local TV station operator, announced its affiliates would preempt Jimmy Kimmel Live! in response to the uproar. FCC Chair Brendan Carr publicly rebuked Kimmel’s comments, calling them “some of the sickest conduct possible,” as reported by Nexstar Media Inc. Carr went further, urging affiliate groups to pressure ABC’s parent company, Disney, to remove the show from their lineups until, in his words, “the company’s leaders straighten this out.” Sinclair and Nexstar, both with significant business interests pending before the Trump administration, quickly followed suit, announcing they would drop Kimmel’s program.
ABC, caught in the crossfire, suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live! indefinitely. The network’s decision, which lined up with the affiliate groups’ moves, set off a firestorm of criticism and concern about the state of free expression in American media. The suspension was not without precedent—political pressure has long haunted late-night hosts—but the speed and ferocity of the response this time felt different to many observers.
David Letterman, no stranger to controversy himself, entered the fray at The Atlantic Festival in New York City on September 18. He spoke passionately in defense of Kimmel and against what he saw as a dangerous trend. “I feel bad about this because we all see where this is going, correct? It’s managed media and it’s no good,” Letterman said, according to Entertainment Weekly. “It’s silly; it’s ridiculous; and you can’t go around firing somebody because you’re fearful or trying to suck up to an authoritarian criminal administration in the Oval Office. That’s just not how this works.”
The next day, former President Trump responded with characteristic bluntness on Truth Social, mocking Letterman’s career and appearance: “Whatever happened to the very highly overrated David Letterman, whose ratings were never very good, either. He looks like hell, but at least he knew when to quit. LOSER!!!” The post, noted by The Nerd Stash, quickly went viral, racking up over half a million views and sparking heated exchanges across social media platforms. Critics lambasted Trump for fixating on TV ratings and personal insults rather than addressing substantive issues, while supporters cheered his willingness to call out perceived media bias.
Trump didn’t stop there. He celebrated Kimmel’s suspension in another post, writing, “Great News for America: The ratings-challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is CANCELLED. Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done. Kimmel has ZERO talent, and worse ratings than even Colbert, if that’s possible. That leaves Jimmy and Seth, two total losers, on Fake News NBC. Their ratings are also horrible. Do it, NBC!!!” During a press conference in the U.K., Trump doubled down, insisting that ABC’s decision was driven by poor ratings and Kimmel’s “horrible” comments about Charlie Kirk. “Jimmy Kimmel was fired because he had bad ratings more than anything else,” Trump told reporters. “And he said a horrible thing about a great gentleman known as Charlie Kirk. Jimmy Kimmel is not a talented person. He has very bad ratings and they should have fired him a long time ago.”
The controversy quickly spilled over into the broader late-night community. Other hosts, including Stephen Colbert, who himself is set to leave The Late Show in 2026 after CBS canceled the program, rallied around Kimmel. Colbert publicly condemned ABC’s decision as censorship, echoing the concerns voiced by Letterman and many others in the entertainment industry. Former hosts Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien also joined the chorus of criticism, as did politicians from across the spectrum—Barack Obama, Gavin Newsom, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez among them.
Democrats and some lawmakers went further, calling for FCC Chair Brendan Carr’s resignation, arguing that his actions amounted to government interference in free speech and a dangerous precedent for media independence. According to Nexstar Media Inc., free speech concerns have become widespread, especially after the Trump administration vowed to investigate negative comments made by federal employees about Charlie Kirk, a move critics see as a chilling attempt to silence dissent.
The debate over Kimmel’s comments, his suspension, and the broader implications for American media has exposed deep divisions. Supporters of the suspension argue that Kimmel’s remarks were inflammatory and disrespectful in the wake of a national tragedy. They maintain that networks and affiliate groups have a responsibility to uphold standards of decency and avoid stoking further division. Trump and his allies have framed the issue as one of business and ratings, downplaying the political dimensions and emphasizing the right of companies to make programming decisions based on what they believe will appeal to viewers.
Opponents, however, see a more troubling pattern—a convergence of political pressure, business interests, and media management that threatens the independence of American television. Letterman’s warning about “managed media” resonates with those who fear that powerful interests are increasingly dictating what can and cannot be said on air. The involvement of the FCC and the apparent coordination between affiliate groups and the Trump administration have only heightened these anxieties.
As the dust settles, the fate of Jimmy Kimmel Live! remains uncertain, and the broader questions about the boundaries of free expression, political influence, and the role of comedy in public life linger. One thing is clear: the world of late-night television, once a haven for irreverent humor and political satire, has become a new front in America’s ongoing culture wars.
For now, viewers, comedians, and politicians alike are left to wonder what comes next—and whether the spirit of late-night dissent can survive in an era of managed media and mounting political pressure.
