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LOS ANGELES, California: On September 18, U.S. President Donald Trump openly celebrated the suspension of late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, using the moment to once again attack television broadcasters and hint that those who deliver unflattering coverage of his administration should risk losing their licenses.

The remarks, made during his state visit to Britain, intensified an already heated national argument over the boundaries of free expression and government power.

Kimmel, who has long mocked Trump in his monologues, became the highest-profile figure caught in the fallout from the September 10 assassination of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, who was gunned down while delivering a speech at a Utah university.

Since the killing, Trump and his allies have demanded solemn respect for Kirk, warning that critics who fail to mourn him properly would face repercussions. When Kimmel joked that Kirk’s supporters were “using his death to score political points” and ridiculed Trump’s self-promotion during a condolence question, conservative outrage was swift.

The Walt Disney Company, which owns ABC, announced on September 17 that Jimmy Kimmel Live! would be pulled indefinitely. The network acted after pressure from Republican officials, including FCC Chair Brendan Carr, who publicly suggested broadcasters should reconsider airing the program. Hours later, large station groups such as Nexstar and Sinclair, both with major regulatory matters pending before the FCC, said they would stop carrying the show.

The suspension triggered fierce backlash. Outside the Hollywood studio where the program is taped, roughly 150 demonstrators waved placards reading “Resist fascism” and “Don’t Bend a Knee to Trump.” Passing motorists honked in support as the crowd chanted against Disney and the administration.

Writers’ and actors’ unions denounced the move as unconstitutional. The American Civil Liberties Union argued that the White House was pressuring private companies to silence critics. Former President Barack Obama joined the chorus, warning that “after years of complaining about cancel culture, the current administration has taken it to a new and dangerous level by routinely threatening regulatory action against media companies unless they muzzle or fire commentators it doesn’t like.”

Trump, however, doubled down. Flanked by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in London, he dismissed Kimmel as “untalented” and accused him of disrespecting “a great gentleman known as Charlie Kirk.” Aboard Air Force One later that day, Trump told reporters that hostile media deserved scrutiny, adding, “All they do is hit Trump. I would think maybe their license should be taken away. It will be up to Brendan Carr.”

Yet federal law is clear: the Federal Communications Commission cannot revoke a broadcast license based on negative coverage or political criticism. Legal experts said Trump’s threats carry little legal weight but create a chilling effect for networks dependent on FCC approvals.

Kimmel is not alone in facing repercussions. Since Kirk’s murder, teachers, academics, corporate employees, and other media figures have been disciplined or fired for remarks conservatives deemed disrespectful. Republicans argue they are confronting “hate speech” that could incite violence, while Democrats see an escalating campaign against First Amendment rights.

For Kimmel’s supporters, the issue is not just about one comedian’s fate but the broader health of free expression. “When people can’t make fun of the administration,” said protester Laura Brenner outside Kimmel’s studio, “you know we’re going down a dark road.”