Donald Trump digs in over ‘whack job’ comedian Jimmy Kimmel

Donald Trump says TV networks should have their broadcast licences revoked if late-night hosts are too critical of him.

Jimmy Kimmel has been slammed as a ‘whack job’ by President Donald Trump.

Donald Trump has said networks should have their broadcast licenses revoked over late-night hosts who are too critical of him, after the ABC pulled comedian Jimmy Kimmel’s show “indefinitely” over remarks he made about the assassination of Charlie Kirk.

Speaking on Air Force One, the US President called Kimmel a “whack job,” adding that his show had been taken off air because of “bad ratings,” adding the popular comedian had “no talent.”

Asked who he’d like to see replace Kimmel, Mr Trump said: “Anybody can replace him. The guy had no talent.”

The ABC had dropped Kimmel’s late-night show after pressure from the Federal Communications Commission chairman.

On his Monday night broadcast, Kimmel – who has often criticised President Donald Trump on his show – said, “the MAGA gang (is) desperately trying to characterise this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it”.

“In between the finger-pointing, there was grieving,” he said.

Kimmel also said Vice-President JD Vance and others in “MAGA-land” were trying to capitalise on Kirk’s death.

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr subsequently called Kimmel’s comments “truly sick” and said his agency has a strong case for holding Kimmel network parent Walt Disney Co. accountable for spreading misinformation. Disney is seeking approval from the FCC for ESPN’s acquisition of the NFL Network.

Mr Trump said he had “read someplace” statistics that showed TV networks had been overwhelmingly against him in terms of “negative” and “bad press.”

“I would think maybe their licence should be taken away,” he said, adding the decision was up to Mr Carr – whom he praised as “outstanding” and a “tough guy”. The chairman of the broadcast regulator “loves our country,” he said.

Explaining his move against Kimmel, Mr Carr said the comedian was “appearing to directly mislead the American public” with his comments about Mr Kirk’s killer Tyler Robinson.

Pressed on CNBC whether the FCC was trying to censor Mr Trump’s critics, Mr Carr said channels with a “broadcast TV licence” had a bigger responsibility than, for example, podcasts.

He said broadcasters with a licence were free “to go on the internet and do whatever they want”. But “if they want to keep access to those valuable airwaves, I’ve been clear, we’re reinvigorating the FCC’s enforcement of public interest”.

He spoke as the largest ABC affiliate in the US asked Kimmel to apologise and make a donation to Charlie Kirk’s family and political organisation Turning Point USA before his show goes back on air.

Sinclair Broadcast Group, which owns many local ABC channels, was one of two groups that said it would pull Jimmy Kimmel Live from its channels before ABC suspended the show.

But the suspension was “not enough” a Sinclair statement said.

Meanwhile Congressional Democrats have unveiled a bill that would bolster free speech protections against government officials.

While the bill is unlikely to gain traction in a Republican-controlled Congress, Democrats harshly criticised the Trump administration for pressuring the ABC to suspend Kimmel’s show.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said Mr Carr should be fired.