"MAGA Gang Desperately Trying...": Jimmy Kimmel Off Air Over Charlie Kirk Jab

TV Network ABC has suspended its late-night talk show "Jimmy Kimmel Live" indefinitely. Reason: Host Jimmy Kimmel made certain remarks on the killing of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk and criticised US President Donald Trump and FBI Director Kash Patel's handling of the investigation into the assassination. President Trump celebrated ABC's decision to cancel Jimmy's late-night show and called it "great news for America." But what did Jimmy Kimmel say?

Charlie Kirk, a close aide of President Trump, was shot dead on September 10 after a bullet pierced through his neck while he was speaking at an event at Utah Valley University. President Trump announced the death on social media and praised Kirk, the co-founder and CEO of the youth organisation Turning Point USA, as "Great, and even Legendary."

Charlie Kirk was a close aide of US President Donald Trump.

On Monday, Kimmel spoke about the shooting in his popular late-night show's monologue.

"We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterise this kid (Tyler Robinson) who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and with everything they can to score political points from it," said Kimmel.

Kimmel also commented on how President Trump grieved the loss of his friend, Charlie.

"In between the finger-pointing, there was grieving. On Friday, the White House flew the flags at half-staff, which got some criticism. But on a human level, you can see how hard the president is taking this," Kimmel said as he played a video of President Trump responding to reporters' questions about holding up after the death of Kirk.

"I think very good. And by the way, right there, you see all the trucks? They just started construction of the new ballroom for the White House, which is something they've been trying to get, as you know, for about 150 years, and it is going to be a beauty," President Trump is heard saying.

Mocking President Trump and his way of "grieving", Kimmel said, "Yes, he's at the fourth stage of grief. Construction. Demolition. Construction. This is not how an adult grieves the murder of someone he called a friend. This is how a four-year-old mourns a goldfish, okay? And it didn't just happen once."

Kimmel played another clipping of Trump talking about the death of Kirk at the Fox News show but once again bringing the topic of building a ballroom. He said he was in the "midst of building a great..." when he heard of Kirk's assassination.

"There's something wrong with him," said Kimmel. 

The late-night show host also questioned the purpose of building a $200 million ballroom in the White House. "Is it possible that he's doing it intentionally so we could be bad about that instead of the Epstein list?" Kimmel joked.

The host moved to take a dig at FBI Director, Kash Patel, who has handled the investigation into the murder of Charlie Kirk "like a kid who didn't read the book BS-ing his way through an oral report"

Hours after Kirk's assassination, Patel declared on X (formerly Twitter) that "the subject" in the killing was in custody However, the two men who had been detained were released soon.

"Kash Patel always looks like he just got hit by a Volkswagen," Kimmel said.

Nexstar Separates Itself From Jimmy Kimmel Live

ABC's decision to suspend the show came shortly after Nexstar -- one of the country's biggest owners of ABC affiliate stations -- said it would not broadcast "Jimmy Kimmel Live" for "the foreseeable future."

In a statement, Nexstar broadcasting president Andrew Alford said the company "strongly objects" to Kimmel's comments. "Mr. Kimmel's comments about the death of Mr Kirk are offensive and insensitive at a critical time in our national political discourse, and we do not believe they reflect the spectrum of opinions, views, or values of the local communities in which we are located," he said.

"Continuing to give Mr Kimmel a broadcast platform in the communities we serve is simply not in the public interest at the current time, and we have made the difficult decision to preempt his show in an effort to let cooler heads prevail as we move toward the resumption of respectful, constructive dialogue."

Trump Celebrates After Jimmy's Show Taken Off-Air

President Trump praised the cancellation of Jimmy Kimmel's late-night show and congratulated ABC for "finally having courage" to do so.

"Great News for America: The ratings challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is CANCELLED," President Trump wrote on his social media site Truth Social.

"Kimmel has ZERO talent, and worse ratings than even Colbert, if that's possible. That leaves Jimmy and Seth, two total losers, on Fake News NBC. Their ratings are also horrible. Do it NBC!!!" President added.

Earlier in July, CBS announced the cancellation of 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert'. President Trump said he "absolutely love that Colbert got fired."

"His talent was even less than his ratings," President added.

"I hear Jimmy Kimmel is next. Has even less talent than Colbert! Greg Gutfeld is better than all of them combined, including the Moron on NBC who ruined the once great Tonight Show," he added, praising the Fox News Late Night host.

Charlie Kirk Assassination

Charlie Kirk, 31, was assassinated during an event at Utah Valley University on September 10. The shooter fled the crime scene moments after a single bullet pierced through the conservative activist's neck.

President Trump announced the death on social media and praised Kirk, the co-founder and CEO of the youth organisation Turning Point USA, as "Great, and even Legendary."

Tyler Robinson, 22, has been arrested as in the murder of Kirk. As per the investigators, the Robinson blended into the campus crowd because of his college-age appearance. Utah Governor Spencer J Cox said the suspect had grown "more political" and was opposed to Kirk's beliefs.

Tyler Robinson is accused of killing Charlie Kirk.

Robinson confessed to committing the crime in a series of texts to his transgender partner after the shooting, according to court documents. "I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can't be negotiated out," he responded to his partner's question on why did he do it. Robinson had been planning it for "a bit over a week," he said.