Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• FCC chair signals regulatory scrutiny of ABC talk shows — FCC Chair Brendan Carr suggested the commission might investigate whether ABC talk shows including The View "qualify as bona fide news programs" and therefore remain exempt from equal-opportunity rules. Carr's comments came after ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel's show following his critical remarks about Charlie Kirk, raising concerns that regulatory threats influenced the network's decision to remove the comedian.
• FCC Chair Brendan Carr threatens broadcast licenses over Kimmel content — FCC Chair Brendan Carr threatened to revoke the broadcast licenses of local television stations that continued to air Jimmy Kimmel's show, pressuring them to drop the program. Carr made the threat while simultaneously signaling openness to rule changes that would allow Nexstar Media Group to acquire Tegna, a merger that would violate existing FCC ownership caps. The coordinated pressure on Nexstar CEO Perry Sook—who would become a billionaire from the deal—created a quid pro quo dynamic linking regulatory approval to media censorship.
• FCC Chair Carr approves Skydance-Paramount merger with Trump donor ombudsman condition — FCC Chair Brendan Carr approved Skydance Media's $8 billion merger with Paramount with a condition that a Trump donor be installed as an ombudsman at CBS News. The approval tied regulatory action to the placement of a political loyalist in a news oversight position.
• FCC Chair Carr claims credit for defunding NPR and PBS and removing liberal hosts — FCC Chair Brendan Carr stated that "NPR has been defunded. PBS has been defunded. Colbert is retiring. Joy Reid is out at MSNBC. Terry Moran is gone from ABC and is now admitting that they are biased. CBS has now made some commitments to us that they are going to return to more fact-based journalism." Carr presented these outcomes as accomplishments resulting from his regulatory actions.
• FCC Chair Carr launches investigation of NPR and PBS — FCC Chair Brendan Carr launched an ongoing investigation of NPR and PBS over sponsorship practices. This action is part of a broader pattern in which Carr has criticized nearly every major media company, demanded answers from YouTube parent Alphabet over alleged discrimination against faith-based programming, and threatened to block mergers of companies engaged in DEI practices.
• Sinclair Media demands Kimmel apology and donation to Charlie Kirk organization — Sinclair Broadcast Group, a right-leaning media company that owns local television stations, demanded that Jimmy Kimmel apologize and make a donation to Charlie Kirk's organization. Sinclair also seeks FCC approval to increase ownership caps for television stations, creating a similar quid pro quo dynamic as with Nexstar.
• FCC Chair Brendan Carr threatened ABC over Jimmy Kimmel's commentary on Charlie Kirk assassination — FCC Chair Brendan Carr threatened ABC and its local affiliates with regulatory action after late-night host Jimmy Kimmel made statements about the assassination of Charlie Kirk. Carr stated the FCC had "remedies" available and told the network to "change conduct" regarding Kimmel or face "additional work for the FCC ahead." ABC, concerned about retaliation, cancelled Kimmel's show in response to the threat.

Supporting reports

• Disney pulled Jimmy Kimmel's late-night show indefinitely after satirical commentary on Charlie Kirk. — ABC/Disney suspended Jimmy Kimmel's late-night program indefinitely following his on-air satire targeting those exploiting Charlie Kirk's name. The article frames this as corporate censorship of protected speech and satire, arguing that removal of the show signals corporate control over which critiques are permitted on broadcast platforms. No official statement from Disney or ABC is quoted; the suspension is presented as a response to pressure from powerful interests.
• ABC cancels Jimmy Kimmel Live following Trump pressure and FCC complaints — ABC, owned by Disney, indefinitely suspended "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" following pressure from the Federal Communications Commission and Nexstar, the country's largest owner of local ABC stations. The cancellation came after Kimmel's monologue criticized characterizations of a person who killed Charlie Kirk as anything other than a MAGA supporter. Trump celebrated the cancellation on his social network, calling it "Great News for America."
• FCC Chair Brendan Carr pressures ABC to suspend Jimmy Kimmel Live over on-air comments — FCC Chair Brendan Carr condemned late-night host Jimmy Kimmel's on-air comments about conservative activist Charlie Kirk's killing as "truly sick" and suggested ABC and Disney could face regulatory consequences for violating public-interest obligations under federal broadcasting rules. ABC suspended Kimmel Live indefinitely on Wednesday. House Democratic leaders, including Hakeem Jeffries, issued a joint statement accusing Carr of "corrupt abuse of power" and demanding his resignation, characterizing the suspension as government-coerced censorship and threatening congressional investigations and subpoenas.
• ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel's late-night television show — ABC pulled comedian Jimmy Kimmel's show off the air following his on-air commentary Monday about the murder of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk. Kimmel's monologue criticized efforts by "the MAGA gang" to characterize Kirk's killer as anything other than one of them and to score political points from the death. The suspension came after FCC Chair Brendan Carr publicly threatened broadcast licensees with fines and license revocation, and after Nexstar (the largest ABC affiliate operator) announced it would cease airing the program. Kimmel's show attracts top ratings in the 18-49 demographic and has over twenty million YouTube subscribers.
• ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel's show — ABC suspended production of Jimmy Kimmel's late-night show on September 18, 2025, allegedly in response to his on-air comments about MAGA Republicans. The suspension followed threats from FCC chair Brendan Carr that ABC would lose its broadcast license if it did not suspend the show. After intense public backlash, ABC announced on September 22, 2025, that the show would return to air on Tuesday.
• ABC Suspends Jimmy Kimmel's Show — ABC suspended the television show of comedian Jimmy Kimmel following his comments about the murder of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk. The suspension was influenced by remarks from FCC chair Brendan Carr, who suggested that broadcasters could face consequences for airing Kimmel's show. The largest operator of ABC affiliates, Nexstar, announced it would stop airing Kimmel's show, leading to ABC's decision to suspend it. This action has sparked significant backlash regarding free speech and artistic expression.
• Nexstar Stops Airing Kimmel's Show — Nexstar, the largest operator of ABC affiliates, announced it would cease airing Jimmy Kimmel's show, which contributed to ABC's decision to suspend the program. This move came amid pressure from FCC chair Brendan Carr regarding Kimmel's comments.
• ABC suspends Jimmy Kimmel's late-night show indefinitely — ABC indefinitely suspended Jimmy Kimmel's late-night show after the comedian suggested "many in Maga land are working very hard to capitalize on the murder of Charlie Kirk." The suspension followed FCC Chair Brendan Carr's condemnation of Kimmel's remarks as "truly sick" and suggestions of regulatory consequences, and came after affiliate operator Nexstar called the comments "offensive and insensitive." The decision prompted widespread protests, boycott calls against Disney, and criticism from industry figures and Democratic lawmakers.
• FCC chair Brendan Carr threatens ABC over Jimmy Kimmel commentary — FCC chair Brendan Carr threatened ABC over comedian Jimmy Kimmel's comments regarding reaction to the killing of far-right activist Charlie Kirk. The network suspended Kimmel's show in response. Democrats accused the Trump administration of censoring a prominent dissenter. Congressman Ro Khanna made a failed attempt to subpoena Carr at a congressional hearing to address the threat.
• FCC chair signals regulatory scrutiny of ABC talk shows — FCC Chair Brendan Carr suggested the commission might investigate whether ABC talk shows including The View "qualify as bona fide news programs" and therefore remain exempt from equal-opportunity rules. Carr's comments came after ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel's show following his critical remarks about Charlie Kirk, raising concerns that regulatory threats influenced the network's decision to remove the comedian.
• Trump threatens to revoke TV network licenses over "negative" coverage — President Trump suggested on Air Force One that TV networks covering him negatively could face government punishment, claiming networks are "97% against me" and stating their licenses "should be taken away." Trump falsely claimed major networks require government licensing (the FCC does not license networks like CBS, NBC, ABC, or Fox). Trump also celebrated ABC's suspension of Jimmy Kimmel's show, calling the comedian "not a talented person" with "bad ratings."
• ABC suspends Jimmy Kimmel's show following administration pressure — ABC suspended comedian Jimmy Kimmel's television show after the Trump administration applied pressure to the network. The suspension occurred in the context of the administration's broader effort to divide the country into political friends and enemies and to use government power against perceived opponents.
• ABC suspends late-night host Jimmy Kimmel from air — ABC suspended late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel from his program. The suspension followed pressure from FCC Chair Brendan Carr, who had threatened to revoke broadcast licenses of stations airing Kimmel's show. Multiple sources and commentators characterized the action as government censorship targeting a critic of the Trump administration. The suspension prompted widespread commentary from comedians, journalists, and political figures about threats to press freedom and First Amendment protections.

Supporting reports

• FCC Chair Carr agrees to testify before Senate Commerce Committee regarding Kimmel suspension pressure — Brendan Carr, Trump-appointed FCC chair, agreed to testify before the Senate Commerce Committee following Disney's temporary suspension of Jimmy Kimmel's talk show. On September 17, Carr appeared on a conservative podcast and stated "We can do this the easy way or the hard way," pressuring broadcasters to stop airing Kimmel's show over comments about conservative pundit Charlie Kirk. Major carriers Nexstar and Sinclair subsequently pulled the show, forcing ABC's hand. ABC suspended the show indefinitely but brought it back a week later after subscriber cancellations. The hearing date has not been set but is expected after November.
• FCC Chair Brendan Carr threatened ABC with license revocation if network did not remove Jimmy Kimmel from air — FCC Chair Brendan Carr issued a direct threat to ABC, stating "We can do this the easy way or we can do this the hard way" and warning of "additional work for the FCC ahead" if the network did not take action against Jimmy Kimmel. The threat came hours before ABC announced cancellation of Kimmel's show. Senior ABC and Disney executives convened emergency meetings; multiple execs felt Kimmel had not crossed a line, but the threat of Trump administration retaliation drove the decision.
• FCC Chair Brendan Carr threatened broadcast licensees with fines or license revocation over Jimmy Kimmel's show — On a right-wing podcast, FCC Chair Brendan Carr stated that Jimmy Kimmel's on-air commentary about Charlie Kirk's murder constituted a "concerted effort to try to lie to the American people" and warned that the FCC had "remedies" available. Carr told licensed broadcasters they could face fines or license revocation if they continued airing Kimmel's program. He explicitly stated: "We can do this the easy way or the hard way." Following these threats, Nexstar (the largest ABC affiliate operator, which requires FCC approval for a $6.2 billion merger) announced it would stop airing Kimmel's show, and ABC subsequently suspended the program.
• FCC Chair Brendan Carr Threatens Action Against Kimmel — Brendan Carr, chair of the FCC, stated on a podcast that Jimmy Kimmel's comments were part of a "concerted effort to try to lie to the American people" and warned of potential remedies against broadcasters who air Kimmel's show. He indicated that the FCC could take actions against licensed broadcasters if they do not address Kimmel's conduct.

Supporting reports

• Nexstar Media Group announced it would stop airing Jimmy Kimmel's show from its stations — Nexstar, the largest operator of ABC affiliates, announced it would cease broadcasting Jimmy Kimmel's program from its stations. This decision came after FCC Chair Brendan Carr publicly threatened broadcast licensees with fines or license revocation over Kimmel's commentary. Nexstar requires FCC approval for a pending $6.2 billion merger, creating a direct regulatory leverage point for the agency's threats.
• Nexstar canceled Kimmel from their stations — Nexstar, a major broadcast company, announced it would not carry Jimmy Kimmel's show on its stations. Nexstar is currently awaiting FCC approval for a major acquisition of Tegna, which requires both FCC permission and a change to existing FCC regulations on station ownership limits.
• Sinclair Broadcast Group announced it will air tribute to Charlie Kirk in Kimmel's time slot and demanded apology and donation — Sinclair Broadcast Group, which controls a large percentage of local TV stations in America and is owned by Trump supporter David Smith, announced it will air a one-hour tribute to Charlie Kirk on Friday on all ABC-affiliated stations in Kimmel's 11:30 PM time slot. Sinclair called upon Kimmel to issue a direct apology to the Kirk family and make a meaningful personal donation to the Kirk family and Turning Point USA.