Jimmy Kimmel returned to ABC on Tuesday night (September 23), and President Donald Trump was not happy about it.
Ahead of Tuesday’s Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Trump took to the social media app Truth Social, where he threatened to “test” ABC over its decision to reinstate Kimmel to late-night. Disney and ABC suspended Kimmel last week over comments he made about the shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk on Monday’s (September 15) show.
“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!” Trump wrote. “Something happened between then and now because his audience is GONE, and his ‘talent’ was never there.”
Despite Trump’s statement, ABC never cancelled Jimmy Kimmel Live! but instead suspended the show “indefinitely.” This came after powerful station group Nexstar announced it would preempt the show on its 32 ABC affiliate stations. Sinclair Broadcast Group later announced it would be doing the same on its own affiliate stations.
Nexstar and Sinclair-owned affiliates also preempted Tuesday’s show.
“Why would they want someone back who does so poorly, who’s not funny, and who puts the Network in jeopardy by playing 99% positive Democrat GARBAGE,” Trump continued. “He is yet another arm of the DNC and, to the best of my knowledge, that would be a major Illegal Campaign Contribution.”
The President then made a threat, writing, “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.”
Trump was referencing the $16 million settlement he received from Disney after his defamation suit against ABC News and anchor George Stephanopoulos. This came after Stephanopoulos asserted incorrectly in March 2024 that Trump had been found “liable for rape by a jury,” when, in fact, a jury found Trump liable for “defamation and sexual abuse” against author E. Jean Carroll.
Earlier on Tuesday, Disney released a statement announcing Kimmel’s return to late-night.
“Last Wednesday, we made the decision to suspend production on the show to avoid further inflaming a tense situation at an emotional moment for our country. It is a decision we made because we felt some of the comments were ill-timed and thus insensitive,” the Walt Disney Company said in a statement. “We have spent the last days having thoughtful conversations with Jimmy, and after those conversations, we reached the decision to return the show on Tuesday.”
During his monologue on Tuesday’s show, Kimmel addressed his comments about Kirk’s shooting. “You understand it was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man. I don’t think there’s anything funny about it,” he said, getting choked up. “I posted a message on Instagram on the day he was killed asking compassion for his family, and I meant it. I still do.”
He added, “Nor did I mean to blame any specific group for the actions of a specific individual. That was actually the opposite of the point I was trying to make. For those who think I did point a finger, I get why you’re upset. If the situation were reversed, there’s a good chance I would’ve felt the same way.”