Overview

• ABC briefly suspended “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” over his remarks about Charlie Kirk before reversing course and putting the show back on the air.
• FCC Chair Brendan Carr urged ABC/Disney to “take action” on Kimmel, warning “we could do this the easy way or the hard way,” in comments highlighting the agency’s leverage over station licensing.
• President Trump suggested broadcasters could lose licenses over coverage he dislikes and later said he would “test ABC,” reinforcing concerns about ongoing pressure on media outlets.
• Rep. Laura Friedman organized a Hollywood Boulevard rally with members of Congress and major entertainment unions, while figures across the spectrum, including Sens. Ted Cruz and Rand Paul, criticized the FCC chair’s remarks.
• Legal analysis repeatedly cites the Supreme Court’s NRA v. Vullo decision against government coercion of private speech, as Kimmel addressed the controversy with an on‑air apology and reflection on the limits of political retaliation.