Former President Donald Trump has wasted no time in celebrating the downfall of Jimmy Kimmel, slamming the late-night host as “zero talent” after ABC pulled his show off the air following remarks about Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
In a fiery Truth Social post on Thursday morning, Trump praised ABC’s move to yank Jimmy Kimmel Live! from its lineup after more than 20 years on the air. The show, which first launched in January 2003, has been paused indefinitely.
“Great News for America: The ratings challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is CANCELLED,” Trump wrote. “Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done. Kimmel has ZERO talent, and worse ratings than even Colbert, if that’s possible.”
Trump, who is currently in the UK for a state visit, also took a swipe at NBC’s late-night lineup, adding: “That leaves Jimmy [Fallon] and Seth [Meyers], two total losers, on Fake News NBC. Their ratings are also horrible.”
Kimmel’s Controversial Remarks
The removal followed Kimmel’s Monday night monologue, in which he accused MAGA supporters of trying to portray 22-year-old Tyler Robinson as anything other than “one of them” and of using Kirk’s murder to score political points.
“The MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said.
The joke came just days after Kirk, 31, was fatally shot while speaking to students at Utah Valley University.
Kimmel’s remarks sparked outrage, with FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr saying the comments left officials furious. In an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity, Carr described ABC’s move as “unprecedented” and an “important turning point.”
Show Pulled at the Last Minute
By Wednesday, ABC announced that Jimmy Kimmel Live! would be “pre-empted indefinitely.” The move blindsided staff and even audience members who had lined up outside the El Capitan Theater in Los Angeles.
Guests had already been booked for the evening’s episode, including comedian Wanda Sykes, who urged fans to “pray” and criticized ABC’s decision while also lashing out at Trump.
Inside the studio, the atmosphere was described as chaotic. One producer admitted: “We’re basically wandering around like aimless cows. Jimmy is livid — absolutely f**ing livid.”*
What’s Next for Kimmel
Though Kimmel has not been officially fired, insiders say the late-night veteran is considering cutting ties with ABC entirely. “This is the last straw and Jimmy is now looking to forever break his relationship with ABC,” one source told The Mail.
A source close to him told CNBC he plans to meet with ABC bosses in the coming days to map out a path forward.
For now, ABC is filling Kimmel’s time slot with reruns of Celebrity Family Feud — but the bigger drama is playing out offscreen, where Kimmel’s rage and Trump’s glee have turned the removal into one of the biggest entertainment-political clashes in years.
