President Donald Trump erupted on Tuesday following ABC’s announcement that Jimmy Kimmel would be returning to late-night television, branding the network as biased towards Democrats and labelling it a potential “illegal campaign contribution.”
In a post shared on Truth Social, Trump slammed ABC’s decision and reignited his ongoing feud with Kimmel, who has frequently mocked him during his monologues.
“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! Something happened between then and now because his audience is GONE, and his ‘talent’ was never there,” Trump wrote.
“Why would they want someone back who does so poorly, who’s not funny, and who puts the Network in jeopardy by playing 99% positive Democrat GARBAGE. He is yet another arm of the DNC and, to the best of my knowledge, that would be a major Illegal Campaign Contribution,” he added.
He went on: “I think we’re going to test ABC out on this. Let’s see how we do. Last time I went after them, they gave me $16 million. This one sounds even more lucrative. A true bunch of losers! Let Jimmy Kimmel rot in his bad Ratings.”, reports the Irish Star.
Tonight saw the comeback of Jimmy Kimmel Live! on ABC, officially restored following an indefinite suspension that had sparked nationwide speculation. The controversy erupted following Kimmel’s recent monologue on the programme, during which he accused “the MAGA gang” of attempting to politicise the death of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk.
The backlash proved swift as major ABC affiliate groups, Sinclair and Nexstar, withdrew Kimmel from broadcast “indefinitely.”
FCC Chair Brendan Carr intensified pressure, issuing warnings of regulatory repercussions should broadcasters continue airing the programme without addressing his concerns.
Disney and ABC encountered immediate criticism, with thousands cancelling Disney+ subscriptions and numerous A-listers and corporations demanding ABC reinstate Kimmel.
Amid mounting criticism, subscriber departures, and heated discussions surrounding censorship and freedom of expression, the company held talks with Kimmel, evaluated the damage, and confirmed the show’s return to Tuesday evening’s regular slot.
However, Sinclair declared it would not broadcast the comeback episode on its ABC affiliates, choosing news programming instead until further “discussions with ABC” reach resolution.
This development followed CBS’s decision not to renew Stephen Colbert for another series after his vocal criticism of Donald Trump.
The network maintained this was a financial choice driven by ratings, despite Colbert achieving some of the strongest viewing figures amongst all late-night television programmes.
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