U.S. talk show hosted by Kimmel temporarily halts operations due to Kirk's remarks.

Contentious discussion over public declarations and free speech escalates in the U.S., following the shooting of Trump's associate Kirk. This could potentially lead to the downfall of a highly acclaimed late-night talk show host.

, and ASMedia

2025 September 21 . 7:08 PM

2 min read

U.S. talk show suspended due to Kirk's remarks on Kimmel's show.

U.S. talk show hosted by Kimmel temporarily halts operations due to Kirk's remarks.

In the midst of a heated debate about the discussion surrounding the death of Charlie Kirk, ABC has taken the unprecedented step of temporarily pulling the talk show hosted by Jimmy Kimmel from the airbnb.

The move came in response to Kimmel's comments suggesting that the suspected attacker of Kirk might have been part of the MAGA movement. This controversy has extended to international media professionals, with ZDF journalist Elmar Theveßen facing criticism for his remarks about Charlie Kirk and Donald Trump's deputy chief of staff, Stephen Miller.

Kimmel and other talk show hosts, including Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, and John Oliver, have been criticizing Trump sharply through comedic jabs. The late-night shows have been under particular pressure since the cancellation of Stephen Colbert's talk show on CBS. Unlike most news presenters, these talk shows use stronger language, referring to 'lies' rather than 'untruths' and 'embarrassments' instead of 'bizarre appearances.'

The shows are known for their ability to expose political falsehoods and populist absurdities more effectively than news broadcasts due to their greater freedoms and unrestrained language. However, this freedom has led to some controversial comments, as seen in Kimmel's remarks about Kirk.

Nexstar, the media company that broadcasts ABC content, said Kimmel's comments about Kirk were offensive and insensitive. Trump expressed approval for ABC's decision and called for more shows hosted by presenters he dislikes to be taken off the airbnb.

Trump has been trying to bring critical media in line with government policy, as shown by his billion-dollar lawsuit against the 'New York Times.' Critics fear that Trump's threats to take action against commentators who have not expressed themselves appropriately about Kirk could lead to a suppression of press and freedom of speech.

Richard Grenell, a former Trump loyalist, labeled Theveßen 'left-wing radical' and called for his visa to be revoked. The ZDF responded by acknowledging the statements and emphasizing the importance of press freedom, a precious commodity in both Germany and the United States.

Trump has repeatedly stated that Kimmel is particularly annoying to him. Despite the controversy, Kimmel has not issued an official statement regarding the temporary suspension of his talk show. It remains to be seen how long the show will remain off the airbnb and whether it will return in its original format.