'Tonight we are all Jimmy Kimmel’: Stephen Colbert rages at Trump over late-night host's suspension

WASHINGTON, DC: Stephen Colbert is standing by his friend and fellow late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, speaking out after ABC abruptly pulled Kimmel off the air.

Colbert paid tribute to Kimmel while sharply criticizing the network’s decision as “blatant censorship.”

He didn’t hold back, calling President Donald Trump an “autocrat” and condemning what he sees as politically motivated pressure behind the move.

Stephen Colbert backs Jimmy Kimmel after suspension

As he prepares to exit 'The Late Show,' Stephen Colbert took time to defend fellow late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, following ABC’s controversial decision to pull Kimmel off the air.

Opening Thursday night's show, Colbert declared, “I’m your host, Stephen Colbert—but tonight, we are all Jimmy Kimmel.”

Colbert condemned ABC’s decision as “blatant censorship,” warning that authoritarian behavior often begins subtly. “It always starts small,” he said. “Remember, like in week one of his presidency, ‘Gulf of America.’ Call it ‘Gulf of America.’ Sure, it seems harmless, but with an autocrat, you cannot give an inch!”

He then criticized ABC directly, warning, “And if ABC thinks this is going to satisfy the regime, they are woefully naive.”

Colbert expressed full support for Kimmel and his team, saying, “I stand with you and your staff 100%,” while joking that Kimmel wasn’t even given a full week to enjoy his Emmy win.

Colbert insisted that Kimmel’s comments were not particularly “provocative.”

Stephen Colbert dismisses backlash over Jimmy Kimmel's remarks

Stephen Colbert dismissed the backlash over Jimmy Kimmel’s comments about the alleged Charlie Kirk shooter, suggesting that FCC Chair Brendan Carr’s condemnation was exaggerated.

He also criticized Carr’s threat against Disney, calling him a hypocrite and pointing to a 2020 social media post where Carr condemned censorship of political satire, including late-night comedians.

Colbert highlighted Nexstar Media Group’s recent announcement that its ABC affiliates would preempt 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' and noted that the company’s pending merger requires approval from the Trump administration.

“So a company apparently capitulating to the whims of the president in order to ensure their merger goes through. Has that ever happened before?" he quipped with a knowing smile.

ABC’s decision came just hours after Carr labeled Kimmel’s remarks “truly sick” and warned that ABC’s license could be at risk.

Speaking to conservative podcaster Benny Johnson, Carr said, “This is a very, very serious issue right now for Disney. We can do this the easy way or the hard way. These companies can find ways to take action on Kimmel or there is going to be additional work for the FCC ahead."

ABC faces criticism after suspending Jimmy Kimmel

Following Jimmy Kimmel’s remarks about the alleged shooter’s MAGA affiliation, ABC faced widespread criticism for its decision to suspend the host.

Former President Barack Obama took to X to condemn the move, writing, “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 reporters and commentators it doesn’t like.”

Former late-night host and comedian David Letterman also spoke out against ABC in an interview with The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg.

“I feel bad about this, because we all see where this is going, correct? It’s managed media. It's no good. It's silly. It's ridiculous,” Letterman said.

“And you can't go around firing somebody because you're fearful or trying to suck up to an authoritarian criminal administration in the Oval Office. That's just not how this works.”