Former late-night host Jimmy Kimmel could soon face federal scrutiny after making claims on his show that Charlie Kirk’s alleged murderer was a supporter of the MAGA movement.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, speaking on conservative podcaster Benny Johnson’s program, revealed that he is considering launching an investigation into both Kimmel and ABC in light of the comments. The remarks in question referenced 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, who prosecutors say shot and killed Kirk during a university event in Orem, Utah. Authorities, however, have described Robinson as holding left-leaning political views, with no connections to the MAGA movement.
“When you examine Jimmy Kimmel’s conduct, it appears to be some of the most egregious possible,” Carr told Johnson.
He also cautioned, “There are certain avenues for the FCC here, so I need to be careful. Ultimately, we could be asked to judge some of these claims that arise.”
Kimmel brought up Robinson during his Monday evening monologue, stating:
“We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to portray this kid who killed Charlie Kirk as one of them, while exploiting the tragedy for political gain.”
The comment sparked outrage among conservative audiences. In response, Carr suggested that suspending Kimmel could be one of several potential “remedies” under review.
Carr warned ABC and its parent company, Disney, that airing politically charged assertions could endanger their broadcast license. He emphasized that presenting statements with political implications about controversial figures, especially amid a high-profile case like Kirk’s assassination, may violate FCC standards.
Kimmel, however, has resisted pressure to apologize, reportedly telling executives he would not “kowtow” to political demands from the right, and intends to stand by his comments. Sources say ABC leadership was uneasy with this stance, already concerned about backlash from affiliates and advertisers.
Broadcast groups Sinclair and Nexstar, which syndicate ABC content, also warned they could pull programming in certain markets. Advertisers have expressed concern, creating mounting pressure on the network from multiple fronts.
During the interview, Johnson asked Carr whether Kimmel should issue an on-air apology. Carr responded, “That strikes me as a very reasonable, minimal step that can be taken.”
He then discussed former President Donald Trump’s approach to “legacy media” during his campaign:
“One thing President Trump did was confront the legacy media establishment directly,” Carr said. “He challenged the idea that they get to control the narrative of what we say and think.”
Carr pointed to broader consequences, noting recent efforts to defund NPR and PBS, the cancellation of Stephen Colbert’s CBS show, and departures of other prominent media figures. “Joy Reid is out at MSNBC. Terry Moran is gone from ABC and now admitting bias,” Carr said.
He concluded by emphasizing the gravity of the situation for Disney: “This is a serious matter. Disney can address Kimmel’s actions voluntarily, or the FCC may have to step in. The license we grant comes with an obligation to serve the public interest. The FCC could argue this is an intentional effort to mislead Americans about a fundamental fact of critical importance.”