'Power of the people': Kamala Harris hails Disney’s Jimmy Kimmel U-turn after fierce public backlash

WASHINGTON, DC: In her first major news interview since leaving office, former Vice President Kamala Harris welcomed ABC’s decision to restore Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show, calling it a victory for public pressure.

Harris told MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow, “Talk about the power being with the people...We saw the power of the people over the last few days, and it spoke volumes, it moved a decision in the right direction.”

The Walt Disney Co confirmed that Kimmel would return to the air after 'indefinitely suspending' his show amid backlash over a remark linked to the Charlie Kirk shooting case. The suspension followed pressure from the FCC and ABC affiliates, but the reversal came after intense criticism and public pushback.

Kamala Harris calls corporate silence under Trump ‘feckless’

Harris, who has been outspoken on the issue, accused corporations of bowing to the Trump administration's pressure to silence dissent.

“This administration is attacking critics and using fear as a weapon,” Harris warned. “Media corporations, from networks to newspapers, are capitulating. We cannot dare to be silent in the face of this assault on free speech.”

She told Maddow that she once believed corporate leaders and law firms would serve as “guardrails” of democracy. Instead, she said, “One by one by one, they have been silent. They have been... I use the word feckless. It’s not like they’re going to lose their yacht or their house in the Hamptons."

Kamala Harris calls Trump 'a tyrant with a fragile ego’

Harris did not hold back in describing Donald Trump, calling him a “tyrant” who uses federal power to intimidate critics. She suggested corporate leaders remain compliant out of self-interest, whether for merger approvals or political favors.

“At some point they’ve got to stand up for the sake of the people who rely on these institutions to have integrity,” she said.

A candid look at Joe Biden’s 2024 run

Harris also addressed her upcoming book '107 Days', already making headlines for its blunt assessment of former President Joe Biden’s decision to run for reelection in 2024.

She wrote that Democrats had treated Biden’s decision as “untouchable,” but in retrospect, she believes it was “recklessness” given the stakes.

On Maddow’s show, Harris admitted, “I realized that I have and had a certain responsibility that I should have followed through on … as much as anything I am talking about myself.”

When asked if she meant Biden should have been discouraged from running again, Harris responded, “Or even if he should question if it is a good idea.”

Kamala Harris drops no hint on 2028 run, but sharp words for Democrats

Pressed on whether she would run in 2028, Harris brushed it off: “That’s not my focus right now. That’s not my focus, at all.”

She shared anecdotes from her book, including Gavin Newsom’s casual “Hiking. Will call back” text after Biden dropped out, which she recounted with humor.