Jimmy Kimmel Accuses Critics of Mischaracterizing Comments on Charlie Kirk’s Accused Killer

By Sandy Fitzgerald | Thursday, 09 October 2025 08:08 AM EDT

Jimmy Kimmel has accused critics of “intentionally and maliciously mischaracterizing” his remarks about the accused killer of conservative leader Charlie Kirk, following the temporary suspension of his ABC show.

During a Wednesday interview at the Bloomberg Screentime conference in Los Angeles, Kimmel dismissed initial backlash as “distortion on the part of some of the right-wing media networks,” claiming he aimed to “correct” the record. His comments drew sharp criticism after a Sept. 17 monologue in which he alleged that President Donald Trump’s supporters sought to portray Kirk’s accused killer “as anything other than one of them,” accusing conservatives of exploiting the tragedy for political gain.

ABC parent company Walt Disney suspended “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” after Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr criticized the host for misleading viewers about the accused shooter’s political affiliations and urged stations to address misinformation. Carr warned the FCC could review licenses of stations failing to correct such claims if complaints were filed.

Kimmel stated he did not expect his show to return, citing demands from Disney that he rejected. “I was not going to go along with any of them,” he said, adding, “That’s it. It’s over.” After six days off air, Disney reinstated the program with partial approval of his remarks.

Kimmel defended his approach during his return, emphasizing he never intended to mock the murder of a young man but reiterated support for political satire and criticized what he called “bullying” from Trump and administration officials.

Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism, covering news, media, and politics for Newsmax.