Trump Goes After ABC as Jimmy Kimmel Returns to Air

Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel is once again caught in the political crossfire—this time with FCC chairman Brendan Carr weighing in.

Appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Carr accused the comedian of trying to push the idea that Kirk’s shooter was “somehow a MAGA or Republican-motivated person,” slamming the suggestion as “sick.” His comments fed into a broader pressure campaign by the Trump administration and conservative media figures who have seized on Kimmel’s monologue to rally their base.

Kimmel and Trump’s long-running feud has never been subtle. At last year’s Oscars, Kimmel read one of Trump’s Truth Social rants live on stage, joking: “Thank you, President Trump. Thank you for watching, I’m surprised you’re still up — isn’t it past your jail time?” Trump hit back by branding Kimmel “a dope” and “one of the dumbest human beings ever.”

Kimmel, however, seems to thrive on the back-and-forth. In an interview with Rolling Stone earlier this year, he admitted he enjoys riling Trump up:
“I think most comedians have a strong sense of justice, and he violates that so frequently. I know we should be hardened to it by now, but I’m not. It is shocking to me; it seems like a comic-book villain.”

While Kimmel once saw his comedy as a way to wake up people who weren’t paying attention, he now frames his show as something different:
“A year ago, I would’ve said I’m hoping to show people what’s going on and change things that way. Obviously, that didn’t have enough impact before the election, so now I see myself more as a place to scream.”

One thing is clear: the feud between Kimmel, Trump, and now Brendan Carr isn’t going anywhere anytime soon—and Kimmel seems more than ready to keep throwing punches.