Incident
United States: Federal Communications Commission chairman's remarks and the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, September 2025
On September 17, 2025, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the United States regulator of broadcasting, Brendan Carr, said broadcasters could "do this the easy way or the hard way" over remarks by the television host Jimmy Kimmel, and warned of "additional work for the FCC ahead." Within hours, the station owners Nexstar and Sinclair said they would pull Jimmy Kimmel Live! from their stations, and ABC, the network that airs it, did the same, according to NPR. ABC announced that the show would return on September 23, 2025, according to Al Jazeera.1
What happened
On September 17, 2025, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the United States regulator that licenses radio and television stations, Brendan Carr, spoke publicly about broadcasters that carried Jimmy Kimmel Live! Kimmel had spoken on air about speculation by some of Donald Trump's supporters over the motives of the person who killed Charlie Kirk, according to NPR.2134
Carr said, "We can do this the easy way or the hard way. These companies can find ways to change conduct to take action on Kimmel or, you know, there's going to be additional work for the FCC ahead." NPR reported that the show was pulled "hours after the U.S. government threatened to cancel broadcasting licenses."2134
Nexstar and Sinclair, companies that own many local television stations affiliated with ABC, announced they would pull the show indefinitely. ABC, the network that airs it, then did the same, according to NPR.2134
Status as of 2026-09-22: Ended. ABC announced that Jimmy Kimmel Live! would return on September 23, 2025, according to Al Jazeera.4
What reason was given
Stated justificationCarr said, "We can do this the easy way or the hard way. These companies can find ways to change conduct to take action on Kimmel or, you know, there's going to be additional work for the FCC ahead."2
What changed for reporting
Jimmy Kimmel Live! went off the air on ABC and on stations owned by Nexstar and Sinclair from September 17, 2025, until ABC returned it to its schedule after "a weeklong impasse," according to Al Jazeera.3
Timeline
2025
Who acted
| Name | Role in this incident | Office at the time |
|---|---|---|
| Brendan Carr | announced | Chair, Federal Communications Commission |
| Federal Communications Commission | other | Independent federal regulatory agency |
Outlets and journalists
| Name | Kind | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| ABC News | outlet | affected |
Sources
- FCC's Brendan Carr and the Kimmel suspension archived copy
- Why is Jimmy Kimmel returning to ABC, what did his suspension cost Disney?
Claims and evidence
Each numbered claim quotes the source it rests on.
- ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live! the same day as Carr's remarks.
Kimmel's late-night show was pulled from the air on September 17 hours after the U.S. government threatened to cancel broadcasting licenses
FCC's Brendan Carr and the Kimmel suspension archived copy, NPR, 2025-09-19.Claim 96, checked 2026-09-22. - Carr framed the choice for broadcasters as cooperating on Kimmel or facing further FCC scrutiny.
We can do this the easy way or the hard way. These companies can find ways to change conduct to take action on Kimmel or, you know, there's going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.
FCC's Brendan Carr and the Kimmel suspension archived copy, NPR, 2025-09-19.Claim 8, checked 2026-09-22. - ABC and two large affiliate groups pulled or preempted the program within hours of Carr's remarks.
Nexstar and Sinclair Broadcast Group...announced they would pull Kimmel's show indefinitely. Then, so did ABC.
FCC's Brendan Carr and the Kimmel suspension archived copy, NPR, 2025-09-19.Claim 97, checked 2026-09-22. - Jimmy Kimmel Live! returned to ABC's schedule after the suspension.
Kimmel's show is set to return on Tuesday night, after a weeklong impasse
Why is Jimmy Kimmel returning to ABC, what did his suspension cost Disney?, Al Jazeera, 2025-09-23.Claim 98, checked 2026-09-22.