“Jimmy Kimmel Live!” has been halted indefinitely by ABC following Kimmel’s comments about Charlie Kirk’s death.

According to a statement from an ABC network spokesperson, the show is being pulled indefinitely, and it has been decided to air “Celebrity Family Feud” on the next two nights as a replacement.
The network has not yet announced what will happen with future programming.

Kimmel himself did not make any immediate comments about the suspension, although his contract is set to expire in May 2026.

During his monologue on Tuesday, Kimmel said, “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately attempting to describe this guy who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything possible to get political points.”

Federal Communications Commission chair Brendan Carr appeared on a podcast on Wednesday, where he suggested that local network affiliates should remove Kimmel’s show from broadcast.

Later that day, Carr wrote on X, “I want to congratulate Nexstar for doing the right thing.”

Local broadcasters are obligated to serve the public interest. While this is an extraordinary action, broadcasters must speak out against Disney programming that they believe violates community values. I hope other broadcasters would follow Nexstar’s lead.”

Donald Trump celebrated ABC’s decision on his social media platform, Truth Social, stating, “Congratulations to ABC for finally having the bravery to do what needed to be done.”
He also criticized two other late-night shows, Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers, calling them “two absolute losers.” In July, when CBS canceled “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert,” Trump said on social media, “I truly like that Colbert was fired. His talent was significantly worse than his grade. I believe Jimmy Kimmel is next. Has even less talent than Colbert.”

Both Colbert and Kimmel are known for frequently criticizing Trump and his policies.

The cancellation of Kimmel’s show came as audience members were waiting outside the studio where the show is taped, only to be informed that Wednesday’s broadcast had been canceled.

A potential audience member from Jacksonville, Florida, named Tommy Williams, shared that he and others were outside the theater waiting to enter when they were abruptly told that the show would not be airing.
Williams stated, “We were just about to walk in—interestingly, they waited to pull the plug on this just as the studio audience was about to walk in.” They didn’t tell us what had happened. They just said that the show was canceled.”

Williams remarked, “We were just about to walk in—interestingly, they waited to pull the plug on this right as the studio audience was ready to walk in.”
He was initially unaware of Kimmel’s comments but looked them up after the cancellation was announced.

Considering the broader business context, both Disney and Nexstar face significant regulatory challenges ahead.
Disney is seeking regulatory approval for ESPN’s acquisition of the NFL Network, while Nexstar needs the Trump administration’s approval to complete its $6.2 billion purchase of broadcast rival Tegna.

For both companies, bringing Kimmel back after the suspension could risk the ire of Trump, who has already claimed that the show has been canceled.

CBS had previously announced that it would cancel Stephen Colbert’s show next May due to financial reasons, but some critics have speculated that his political stance toward Trump might have played a role in the decision.
Both Colbert and Kimmel have frequently made jokes targeting the president. Following the cancellation of Colbert’s show, the FCC approved CBS parent firm Paramount’s long-awaited transaction with Skydance.

Trump had similarly celebrated Colbert’s exit, saying, “I absolutely love that Colbert got fired.
His talent was even less than his ratings. I hear Jimmy Kimmel is next.”

In the past year, both Disney and CBS parent company Paramount, chose to settle lawsuits filed by Trump against their news divisions rather than take the case to court.

FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez criticized the administration on X, saying, “Another media outlet withered under government pressure, ensuring that the administration will continue to extort and exact retribution on broadcasters and publishers who criticize it.”

Ari Cohn, lead counsel for tech policy at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, added, “We cannot be a country where late-night talk show hosts serve at the pleasure of the president.”