The Severity of the Jimmy Kimmel Suspension Cannot Be overstated
In a move that has raised alarm bells among advocates for free people, President Donald Trump's administration has intensified its efforts to control the media. On Wednesday, ABC's parent company Disney suspended late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel, marking what many consider the gravest attack on free speech rights in generations.
The Trump administration's actions, paired with ABC's capitulation, represent a grave threat to our First Amendment freedoms. The government cannot threaten broadcasters to censor speech or punish speakers for their speech, as this is illegal and violates the First Amendment.
The suspension of Kimmel's show follows a joke he made about the Trump administration seeking to cast blame on anyone to their left for the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. FCC chairman Brendan Carr publicly called for Kimmel to be removed from the air, and the pressure to fire him was backed by threats to pull broadcast licenses of ABC affiliates if the comedian wasn't taken off the air.
This is not the first time Trump has cracked down on the speech of those who criticize him. He has a history of targeting immigrant students, universities, nonprofits, researchers, law firms, and media companies.
The suspension of Kimmel's show is reminiscent of regime media consolidation seen under Hungarian President Viktor Orban, a figure Trump supporters view as a model to follow. This is an effort to strike fear in the entertainment industry and the press, and destroy their constitutionally guaranteed freedoms.
The crackdown on free speech is likely to be unpopular in the U.S., a society that values free speech paramountly. The U.S. does not have a culture that supports censorship like Hungary, Russia, or Egypt.
The organization that reported on Jimmy Kimmel facing hostility from the FCC and pressure on ABC due to his commentary about Charlie Kirk was PolitiFact. Meanwhile, the U.S. arm of TikTok is being purchased by three companies, including Oracle and a company headed by Marc Andreesen, a Trump supporter. The government is reportedly receiving a board seat on the new U.S.-based TikTok company.
In another concerning development, the Late Show with Stephen Colbert was abruptly canceled after the FCC approved the purchase of Paramount, the parent company of CBS, to Skydance, a media conglomerate owned by David Ellison, the son of Oracle CEO and Trump supporter Larry Ellison. This deal came with stipulations on CBS to make its coverage more conservative.
As the situation unfolds, it is crucial to stand up for the principles of free speech and the First Amendment. The courts are likely to find Trump's actions illegal, and it is up to all of us to ensure that our freedoms are protected.
