'Offensive': ABC takes Jimmy Kimmel off the air 'indefinitely' over Charlie Kirk comments

Editor's note: This story has been updated to note that ABC has announced that it will be pulling Jimmy Kimmel Live "indefinitely." the headline has also been updated.

Nexstar Media Group — which owns television stations broadcasting to 70 percent of the American public — announced Wednesday its ABC‑affiliated television stations will preempt “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” for the foreseeable future, over comments made by TV host Jimmy Kimmel about the killing of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk. ABC has also announced that it will pull Kimmel's late-night show "indefinitely."

In a statement released Wednesday evening, Nexstar said Kimmel’s comments “are offensive and insensitive at a critical time in our national political discourse,” and that continuing to air his show “is simply not in the public interest at the current time.”

Andrew Alford, president of Nexstar’s broadcasting division, said the decision is an effort “to let cooler heads prevail as we move toward the resumption of respectful, constructive dialogue.”

During his Monday evening monologue, Kimmel suggested Kirk’s alleged killer, Tyler Robinson, might have been a pro‑Trump Republican.

“The MAGA gang [is] desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said. “In between the finger‑pointing, there was grieving.”

Earlier, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr, an ally to President Donald Trump, condemned the remarks, calling them “the sickest conduct possible.”

He told right‑wing podcaster Benny Johnson on Wednesday that the FCC could move to revoke ABC affiliate licenses as a way to force Disney to discipline Kimmel.

On Tuesday, Robinson, 22, was charged with aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm, committing a violent offense in front of a child and counts of obstruction of justice and witness tampering. He is being held without bail and faces the death penalty.

Prosecutors said evidence includes Robinson’s confession in text messages to a roommate and partner, as well as DNA that links him to the weapon used in the shooting.