<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>US President Donald Trump has redoubled his attack on TV host Jimmy Kimmel after </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/jimmy-kimmel-show-pulled-offair-indefinitely-after-charlie-kirk-remarks/2d96c5ce-aa33-4e98-9406-1e9b48a30e0f" rel="" target="_blank" title="Disney's ABC pulled the latter's show off the air"><span>Disney's ABC pulled the latter's show off the air</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>ABC said yesterday that </span><em><span>Jimmy Kimmel Live!</span></em><span> would be "pre-empted indefinitely", without giving further explanation.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It followed Kimmel addressing the fallout of the shooting of Trump ally Charlie Kirk on his show.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-uk-visit-pageantry-to-politics-donald-trump-keir-starmer-melania-trump-princess-of-wales/4576c2dd-6721-41fd-9a68-39a9b45f9a0b" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Trump and Starmer sign massive tech deal before holding private talks</span></strong></a><strong><span></span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Taking to Truth Social while on a state visit to the UK yesterday, Trump said it was "great news", while critics including former President Barack Obama have slammed it as an attack on free speech.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Speaking alongside UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the PM's country home Chequers overnight, Trump doubled down when asked about the issue.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Well, Jimmy Kimmel was fired because he had bad ratings more than anything else," Trump said.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-doubles-down-on-jimmy-kimmel-cancellation-claims-bad-ratings/04bffe48-60ec-4118-8152-b462838705a7" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/erika-kirk-named-ceo-of-turning-point-usa/51166328-0cb1-4f8a-85d1-4eae5cc70855" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Charlie Kirk's widow named new CEO of Turning Point USA</span></strong></a><strong><span></span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"And he said a horrible thing about a great gentleman known as Charlie Kirk.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"And Jimmy Kimmel is not a talented person. He had very bad ratings and they should have fired him a long time ago.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"So, you know, you can call that free speech or not. He was fired for lack of talent."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/jimmy-kimmel-show-pulled-offair-indefinitely-after-charlie-kirk-remarks/2d96c5ce-aa33-4e98-9406-1e9b48a30e0f" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Trump names his next target after Jimmy Kimmel pulled off air</span></strong></a><strong><span></span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>According to US TV ratings analyst </span><a href="https://latenighter.com/news/ratings/late-night-tv-ratings-q2-2025/" rel="" target="_blank" title="LateNighter"><span>LateNighter</span></a><span>, Kimmel's show in its timeslot was second only to Stephen Colbert's </span><em><span>The Late Show</span></em><span> – and even increased its audience in the key 18-year-old to 49-year-old demographic in the second quarter of the year.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Nor did Kimmel's comments address anything the controversial Kirk said or did directly. Rather, he accused the MAGA movement of political point-scoring over his death, and said they were "trying everything" to prove accused shooter Tyler Robinson was not aligned with them.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Robinson, who was raised in a conservative home with parents who are registered Republicans, supposedly started skewing politically leftward recently, according to what investigators have reported from family members.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>At least two major owners of ABC-affiliated stations subsequently said they would preempt Kimmel's show, sparking speculation that the owners were trying to curry favor with the administration.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The local media conglomerates are each seeking mergers that would require administration approval.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Trump-appointed FCC head Brendan Carr said Kimmel's remarks constituted the "sickest conduct" and threatened to punish the ABC if it didn't take action.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><span>With CNN.</span></em><span></span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. 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