Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point USA urges ABC affiliates to drop Jimmy Kimmel after Disney revokes suspension
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point USA has ramped up its campaign against Jimmy Kimmel by urging ABC affiliates to not broadcast 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' when it returns Tuesday night.
The demand comes just a week after Kimmel’s show was pulled off the air for inflammatory remarks about Kirk’s murder and MAGA supporters.
Turning Point USA blasts Disney and ABC for ‘caving’
Andrew Kolvet, Turning Point USA spokesman and executive producer of Kirk’s podcast, accused Disney and ABC of folding under pressure.
“Disney and ABC caving and allowing Kimmel back on the air is not surprising, but it’s their mistake to make,” Kolvet posted on X minutes after the comeback was announced.
Kolvet went further, naming affiliate owners Nexstar and Sinclair. “Nextstar and Sinclair do not have to make the same choice,” he warned, pressuring the companies to keep Kimmel off their stations.
Disney and ABC caving and allowing Kimmell back on the air is not surprising, but it's their mistake to make.
— Andrew Kolvet (@AndrewKolvet) September 22, 2025
Nextstar and Sinclair do not have to make the same choice.
Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension over Charlie Kirk remarks
The comedian’s late-night program was yanked last Wednesday after his monologue blamed Trump supporters for exploiting Kirk’s assassination and falsely implied alleged gunman Tyler Robinson was aligned with MAGA. Authorities later revealed Robinson leaned left politically.
Kimmel’s refusal to apologize fueled backlash, with FCC Chair Brendan Carr warning ABC and other broadcast networks have an obligation to avoid misleading the public.
The controversy left Disney scrambling as stations like Nexstar and Sinclair signaled they might not carry the show.
🚨Good for @WeAreSinclair for blocking Kimmell from its 31 ABC affiliates. Reminder, Kimmell has yet to apologize for saying the assassin was MAGA, and he was reportedly going to double down.
— Andrew Kolvet (@AndrewKolvet) September 22, 2025
He's an unrepentant liar, and affiliates have every right to demand accountability. https://t.co/zhpkWew10D
Disney defends decision to reinstate Jimmy Kimmel
On Monday, Disney confirmed the program would return, explaining production was paused “to avoid further inflaming a tense situation.”
The company acknowledged some of Kimmel’s comments were “ill-timed and thus insensitive,” but ultimately decided the suspension had run its course.
California Governor Gavin Newsom cheered Kimmel’s return, calling it “a win for free speech everywhere.”
The announcement also drew support from celebrities and fellow late-night hosts, many of whom blasted ABC for suspending Kimmel in the first place.
Conservative voices slam Jimmy Kimmel comeback
On the other side of the aisle, conservative commentators erupted at ABC’s call.
Federalist editor-in-chief Mollie Hemingway posted, “DISNEY LOATHES YOU,” while Ann Coulter quipped, “ABC execs prove they are NOT cowards by caving in 10 seconds to left-wing pressure.”
Former Fox News star Megyn Kelly mocked the brief suspension, tweeting, “Must be nice to be a leftist.”
Turning Point USA co-founder Erika Kirk, who now serves as CEO, has yet to comment, but the group’s call to action highlights how Kimmel’s suspension has reignited cultural and political battles in late-night television.
Uncertain road ahead for ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’
While Disney and ABC have charted a path forward, the decision now rests partly with local affiliates.
If major owners like Nexstar or Sinclair bow to Turning Point’s pressure, Kimmel’s return could be fractured across the country.
With both fans and critics watching closely, his comeback may test just how much controversy late-night TV can endure in a deeply polarized media landscape.
