Jimmy Kimmel's Fiery Attack On Trump Over 'Bullying' As Show Returns To Air

Television host Jimmy Kimmel launched a passionate critique against US President Donald Trump on Tuesday regarding alleged "bullying" and attempts to restrict free speech, as his late-night show returned after a week-long suspension over his comments about right-wing activist Charlie Kirk's murder.

In his 17-minute comeback on Disney's ABC network, amid viewer backlash and subscription cancellations, Kimmel declared that the President "tried his best to cancel me" but those efforts "backfired." He urged the audience, "Let's stop letting these politicians tell us what they want, and tell them what we want."

The four-time Oscar host's comments came after ABC suspended "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" following his remarks about Trump ally Kirk, who was fatally shot at Utah Valley University on September 10. Trump celebrated the show's suspension as "great news for America," dismissing Kimmel as having "ZERO talent."

The veteran comedian's sudden absence from television sparked outrage among liberals, with many claiming he was targeted for his criticism of the President.

"The owners have to feel sorry for him. He tried his best to cancel me. Instead he forced millions of people to watch the show. That backfired bigly. He might have to release the Epstein files to distract us from this now," Kimmel said, referencing alleged documents containing names of clients to whom Jeffrey Epstein reportedly trafficked young girls, with reports suggesting Trump's name appeared in related investigation files.

Kimmel asserted that "the President of the United States made it very clear that he wants to see me and hundreds of people who work here fired from our jobs" by supporting his show's suspension. He added, "Our leader celebrates Americans losing their livelihoods because he can't take a joke."

The host warned that fellow comedian Jimmy Fallon, who hosts NBC's "The Tonight Show," might be the next target. "Now he is openly rooting for NBC to fire Jimmy Fallon and his admirers and the hundreds of Americans who work for their shows, who don't make millions of dollars. I hope if that happens, or even if it's any hint of that happening, you will be 10 times as loud as you were this week. We have to speak out," Kimmel urged.

Trump had recently described Fallon and Seth Meyers as "two total losers" and called on NBC to cancel their programs.

Kimmel also criticized FCC Chair Brendan Carr for threatening the licenses of ABC affiliates broadcasting his show. "Brenda Carr is the most embarrassing 'car' the Republicans have embraced since this one," he quipped, pointing to a vehicle with Trump's name on it.

He highlighted Carr's apparent hypocrisy by showing a 2022 social media post where Carr, then an FCC commissioner during the Biden administration, defended political satire as "one of the oldest and most important forms of free speech" that "challenges those in power."

Kimmel noted that Carr was later appointed FCC chairman by "this former crusader for free speech," playing a clip of Trump discussing the importance of free expression.

"That was also in 2022 and I wonder, how did that guy turn into this guy," Kimmel said, referring to Trump's claim that Kimmel was fired and "had no ratings." The host responded, "Well, I do tonight," to audience applause.

Visibly emotional, Kimmel clarified that he never intended to make light of Kirk's killing: "I have no illusions about changing anyone's mind, but I do want to make something clear, because it's important to me as a human and that is, you understand that it was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man," he said with a breaking voice. "I don't think there's anything funny about it."

"Nor was it my intention to blame any specific group for the actions of what was obviously a deeply disturbed individual. That was really the opposite of the point I was trying to make," he continued, acknowledging his previous remarks might have seemed "ill-timed or unclear or maybe both."

Kimmel expressed gratitude to ABC for allowing his return: "I was not happy when they pulled me off air. I did not agree with that decision, I told them that and we had many conversations. I shared my point of view and they shared theirs."

"We talked it through and at the end, they didn't really have to, this is a giant company. We have short attention spans and I am a tiny part of the Disney cooperation. They welcomed me back on air. I thank them for that," he added.

Earlier that day, Trump had expressed disbelief over ABC reinstating Kimmel. "I can't believe ABC Fake News gave Jimmy Kimmel his job back. The White House was told by ABC that his Show was cancelled!" he posted on Truth Social.

The President threatened that the government would "test ABC out on this," referencing a previous situation where "they gave me $16 Million Dollars. This one sounds even more lucrative. A true bunch of losers! Let Jimmy Kimmel rot in his bad Ratings."