US President Donald Trump has chimed in on ABC's move to halt "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" indefinitely after the host made inflammatory comments regarding the murder of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk. Trump took to Truth Social and commended the network and hailed the decision.
“Great News for America: The ratings challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is CANCELLED. Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done,” the president wrote on Truth Social.
He added, “Kimmel has ZERO talent, and worse ratings than even Colbert, if that’s possible. That leaves Jimmy and Seth, two total losers, on Fake News NBC. Their ratings are also horrible. Do it NBC!!! President DJT.”
The White House Instagram page echoed Trump's statement by re-posting it, inciting heated responses on the platform. There were users who praised ABC and Trump for it, as well as those who stood up for Kimmel and dissed the administration's interference.
“So freedom of speech is okay, but for just some people?” one individual remarked. Another added, “White House page used to slander a TV show? What a circus.”
Others welcomed the cancellation. “Couldn’t have agreed more with ABC on this one for sure,” one person said. But critics pushed back, with another noting, “You’re kidding me. Literally working to silence the media. How many people fell asleep in history class? Like c’mon y’all wake up!”
The outrage against Kimmel was because of a statement he uttered in a recent monologue regarding Tyler Robinson, a 22-year-old Utah native named as the suspected shooter in the Charlie Kirk murder case. Kimmel implied that the "MAGA gang" was "trying to characterise this kid who killed Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them."
Read also| Trump designates ‘Antifa’ a ‘major terrorist organisation’ days after Charlie Kirk murder
