Overview

• ABC confirmed it suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live after major affiliates, including Nexstar, stopped carrying the show following FCC chair Brendan Carr’s public warning that broadcasters could face consequences.
• Carr said broadcasters could do things “the easy way or the hard way,” a signal that drew scrutiny given Nexstar’s pending Tegna merger that requires FCC approval and could amplify perceived regulatory leverage.
• President Trump previously signed Executive Order 14149 promising to restore free speech and prevent federal officers from abridging Americans’ expression, a pledge critics say clashes with recent actions.
• Attorney General Pam Bondi vowed to target what she called hate speech, and senior aides urged consequences for people who celebrated or justified Charlie Kirk’s killing, escalating fears of government‑driven reprisals.
• Barack Obama and Kamala Harris accused the administration of coercing media companies, while legal experts said any government‑induced corporate censorship could raise First Amendment issues as the Kirk case against suspect Tyler Robinson proceeds.