ABC's suspension of Kimmel’s show – combined with threats from Trump officials to “go after” left-leaning organizations they say have incited violence – has alarmed Democrats and First Amendment advocates over free speech concerns in the wake of Kirk’s fatal shooting. Kimmel is a longtime Trump critic.
National television networks such as ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox are not granted licenses by the FCC. Instead, the FCC issues licenses to individual local broadcast affiliates authorizing the stations to use public airwaves.
Trump said a network's treatment of him should also be considered when the FCC issues and renews licenses.
“Look, that’s something that should be talked about for licensing, too," Trump told reporters. "When you have a network and you have evening shows and all they do is hit Trump ‒ that’s all they do. If you go back, I guess they haven't had a conservative on in years, somebody said."
"They’re licensed. They’re not allowed to do that," Trump said, alleging, "They're an arm of the Democrat Party."
Historically, the FCC has operated as an independent agency of the executive branch, but Carr has aligned himself closely to Trump, who appointed him to the role.
"I think Brendan Carr is doing a great job, and I think he's a great patriot," Trump said.
Trump has cheered ABC's cancellation of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" Addressing reporters earlier in the United Kingdom, Trump rejected concerns raised by his critics about the state of free speech. Trump said, "Jimmy Kimmel was fired because he had bad ratings, more than anything else, and he said a horrible thing about a great gentleman known as Charlie Kirk."
Kimmel's ratings are second among late-night hosts after CBS's Stephen Colbert.
Trump in July previously celebrated the cancellation of CBS' "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert," also a Trump critic, and warned, "I hear Jimmy Kimmel is next. Has even less talent than Colbert."
