President Trump, never one to miss a fight with the press, turned his fire on ABC Tuesday, threatening to sue the network over Jimmy Kimmel’s return to the airwaves. To the president, the network should have left the embattled comedian to “rot” after his inflammatory remarks about Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
The timing was theatrical: the threat came just as Kimmel returned to his desk, defiantly resuming his show after nearly a week in suspension.
“He is yet another arm of the DNC and, to the best of my knowledge, that would be a major Illegal Campaign Contribution. I think we’re going to test ABC out on this. Let’s see how we do,” Trump declared on TRUTH Social — the cadence half-legal brief, half-showman’s dare.
“Last time I went after them, they gave me $16 Million Dollars. This one sounds even more lucrative. A true bunch of losers! Let Jimmy Kimmel rot in his bad Ratings.”
It was not idle bluster. Only last year, Trump sued ABC and George Stephanopoulos for defamation, walking away with a $15 million settlement. Now, he was signaling a reprise.
Again he pressed the point: “I can’t believe ABC Fake News gave Jimmy Kimmel his job back. The White House was told by ABC that his Show was cancelled!”
Trump continued: “Something happened between then and now because his audience is GONE, and his ‘talent’ was never there. Why would they want someone back who does so poorly, who’s not funny, and who puts the Network in jeopardy by playing 99% positive Democrat GARBAGE.”
Kimmel, taking his own swing, mentioned Kirk only once in his comeback monologue and declined to apologize. Critics branded the performance “crocodile tears,” accusing him of casting himself as the victim.
“It was never my intention to make light of a murder of a young man,” Kimmel told viewers. “I don’t think there’s anything funny about it. Nor was it my intention to blame any specific group for the actions of what was obviously a deeply disturbed individual – that was really the opposite of the point I was trying to make.”
Jimmy Kimmel's full monologue tonight pic.twitter.com/sZI6uouUAd
— Marlow Stern (@MarlowNYC) September 24, 2025
Kimmel’s monologue experienced a significant surge in interest following his comment controversy and subsequent sparring with President Trump.
Can Kimmel maintain the bump?
