Now-former late-night host Jimmy Kimmel is facing possible federal scrutiny following comments he made about the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk. During a recent monologue, Kimmel claimed that Kirk’s alleged killer, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, was part of the “MAGA gang.” However, authorities have stated that Robinson held leftist political views and had no known ties to the MAGA movement.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, speaking on conservative podcaster Benny Johnson’s show, said he is considering an investigation into both Kimmel and ABC. Carr criticized Kimmel’s remarks as “some of the sickest conduct possible” and suggested that broadcasting politically charged falsehoods could potentially violate FCC standards. He warned that ABC’s license could be at risk if the network is found to have acted irresponsibly.
In response, Carr floated potential remedies, including a public on-air apology from Kimmel. However, Kimmel reportedly told network executives he would not apologize or “kowtow” to political pressure, further straining relations with ABC leadership and raising concerns among affiliates and advertisers. Broadcast groups such as Sinclair and Nexstar have warned they may pull ABC programming in certain markets if the controversy is not addressed.
Carr also pointed to a broader reckoning in media, referencing the recent cancellation of Stephen Colbert’s show, along with moves to defund NPR and PBS. He noted that media outlets are increasingly being held accountable for what many on the right see as political bias and misinformation.
He concluded by warning that the FCC may take further action if ABC fails to respond. “They have a license granted by us… and that comes with it an obligation to operate in the public interest,” Carr said, emphasizing that false political narratives about sensitive and high-profile cases could have serious regulatory consequences.
WATCH:
BREAKING: The FCC Chairman is threatening immediate action against Jimmy Kimmel, ABC, and Disney for deliberately misleading the public by claiming Charlie Kirk’s assassin was a MAGA Conservative.
Chairman Brendan Carr calls Kimmel’s malicious lies are “truly sick” and says they… pic.twitter.com/mGhtGMPReI
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) September 17, 2025
