Kimmel Reinstated; Affiliates Preempt, Trump Reacts

ABC/Disney reversed a brief suspension and announced Jimmy Kimmel would return to Jimmy Kimmel Live! after discussions with the host; the suspension followed his monologue about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk and drew public rebukes from FCC Chair Brendan Carr and criticism from Trump allies. Large station groups including Sinclair and Nexstar and several local affiliates said they would preempt the broadcast or demand assurances, meaning Kimmel’s return will be unavailable over-the-air in many markets while talks continue. The controversy has provoked industry and public backlash — Hollywood figures and free-speech advocates defended Kimmel, protests erupted outside stations such as Sinclair’s KOMO, and some creators paused or withheld Disney-related content. President Trump criticized the reinstatement on Truth Social, called Kimmel an arm of the DNC, and said the White House would “test ABC” and consider action while referencing a prior settlement with the network. NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani had withdrawn from a WABC town hall in protest and agreed to reschedule the event after ABC reinstated Kimmel.