Jimmy Kimmel returned to Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Wednesday night with an emotional but fiery monologue, defending himself over remarks about Charlie Kirk’s murder while blasting the Trump administration for trying to silence him.
“I have no illusions about changing anyone’s mind,” Kimmel told viewers. “But it was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man. Nor was it my intention to blame any specific group for the actions of what was obviously a deeply disturbed individual.” He admitted some found his comments ill-timed or unclear, adding, “If the situation was reversed, there’s a good chance I’d have felt the same way.”
Kimmel then turned his fire on Federal Communications Chair Brendan Carr and former President Trump, both of whom celebrated his suspension last week. Carr had hinted at regulatory action against ABC, which Kimmel mocked as “mobster talk.” He even joked that unlike real mob bosses, Carr made his threats on a podcast for everyone to hear.
He accused Trump and Carr of hypocrisy, showing clips where they once defended free speech. Trump, meanwhile, had mocked Kimmel’s ratings, claiming his show was “cancelled.” Kimmel shot back, “Well, I do tonight. He tried his best to cancel me, instead, he forced millions of people to watch the show. That backfired bigly.”
Trump raged on Truth Social just before Kimmel’s return, attacking ABC for reinstating him. But Kimmel leaned into the moment, telling his audience Trump may now need “to release the Epstein files to distract us from this.”
At the start of his monologue, Kimmel thanked fans, friends, and colleagues for their support. He also acknowledged conservatives like Sens. Ted Cruz, Mitch McConnell, and Rand Paul, who defended his right to speak even while disagreeing with him.
He closed on a tearful note, referencing Erika Kirk’s moving remarks at her husband’s memorial service. “That is an example we should follow,” he said. “A selfless act of grace and forgiveness from a grieving widow that touched me deeply. If there’s anything we should take from this tragedy to carry forward, I hope it can be that, not this.”