Trump says ABC had ‘better’ fire Kimmel as Disney stands firm
CNN • • nation
Key Points:
- President Donald Trump criticized ABC and late-night host Jimmy Kimmel on Truth Social, demanding Kimmel be fired over a joke about First Lady Melania Trump, despite Kimmel’s strong show ratings.
- ABC’s parent company Disney has not responded to the calls to fire Kimmel and continues to air his show, with Kimmel under contract through next year.
- The Trump-aligned FCC ordered an early renewal process for Disney’s ABC station licenses, widely viewed as retaliation for ABC’s refusal to fire Kimmel, though the FCC claims it is related to a DEI probe.
- FCC Chairman Brendan Carr denied external pressure influenced the early renewal order, but FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez called it a pretext and part of harassment against Disney.
- Free speech advocates condemned the government’s actions as retaliation that threatens protected speech, emphasizing that criticism of Kimmel’s joke is acceptable but pressuring ABC to punish him violates First Amendment principles.
