Harris criticizes Disney over Kimmel suspension in MSNBC interview

Former Vice President Kamala Harris criticized Disney over its suspension of late-night host Jimmy Kimmel in a Monday interview, marking her first public remarks since losing the 2024 presidential race.

On MSNBC's Rachel Maddow Show, Harris described her career as a public servant who has long worked with the private sector and said she believes major companies should act as guardrails for democratic institutions, but indicated that such leaders have largely remained silent.

She highlighted her longtime friendship with Dana Walden, Disney Entertainment co-chair, noting a personal link that stretches back to the 1990s. Their spouses have known each other since the 1980s, and Walden and the Harris family have donated to her campaigns since at least 2003.

She noted that Disney owns ABC, and that the network suspended Kimmel last week after a remark about political violence related to Charlie Kirk. Kimmel is slated to return to his late-night program on Tuesday.

Industry dynamics were mentioned as part of the discussion, with Sinclair and Nexstar controlling a substantial share of ABC affiliates and indicating they would not air the latest Kimmel episode while he refused to apologize for his remarks. Nexstar owns 32 ABC affiliates, and Sinclair owns 38.

Nexstar is seeking approval from the Federal Communications Commission for its proposed Tegna acquisition and would become the largest owner of ABC stations, while Sinclair remains the largest owner of ABC affiliates overall.

FCC Chair Brendan Carr had signaled there could be regulatory action against ABC and Disney over license obligations, arguing broadcasters must serve the public interest. Carr later denied linking his calls for action to Kimmel’s politics, though he acknowledged the political controversy surrounding the case.

Former President Donald Trump praised Kimmel’s ouster and floated the possibility that government action could be used to revoke broadcast licenses if outlets appeared to oppose him, though Trump said the ultimate decision would rest with the FCC.

Kimmel, who earns about $15 million a year, was expected to address the suspension in his Tuesday monologue. The New York Post reported that a court filing showed the mother of Tyler Robinson described her son as having grown more political, a detail that feeds into the election-year backdrop of the case.

Harris closed by urging that institutions have integrity and that guardrails must remain in place to protect democratic norms, urging accountability across public and private sectors as the controversy unfolds.