ABC affiliate group Sinclair has suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live! “‘indefinitely'”, after Kimmel mocked Donald Trump’s reaction to Charlie Kirk’s killing during a recent show.
Kimmel aired a clip of Trump saying, “I think very good,” when asked how he was “holding up” after Kirk’s death, then praising White House renovations: “it’ll be a beauty. It’ll be an absolutely magnificent structure.” Kimmel responded: “There’s something wrong with him, there really is.”
Sinclair said the show can only return after “formal discussions are held with ABC regarding the network’s commitment to professionalism and accountability.” It also demanded Kimmel “issue a direct apology to the Kirk family” and make a “meaningful personal donation” to the Kirk family and Turning Point USA.
Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA and a Trump ally, was fatally shot at an event on September 10. A suspect has been charged with multiple offences, including aggravated murder.
Trump has called for Kimmel to be fired. Kimmel has not yet publicly responded; Sinclair says it will not reinstate the program until it is satisfied with the steps taken.