Trump threatens to sue ABC as Jimmy Kimmel returns amid Charlie Kirk remarks
The former president vows to test the network after ABC brings back the late-night host, as a web of defamation lawsuits and free-speech debates unfolds in U.S. politics and media.
Former President Donald Trump threatened to sue ABC again as the network brought back Jimmy Kimmel for his late-night show, arguing the move signals deceit and promising to 'test' the network. In a post on social media, Trump criticized ABC as 'Fake News' for reinstating Kimmel and said the host's ratings would be a measure of ABC's judgment. He suggested the decision could yield a lucrative target for another legal challenge and labeled the network 'a major Illegal Campaign Contribution' in one of his posts. Kimmel is scheduled to return to the air on Tuesday night.
ABC News in December agreed to pay $15 million to Trump as a charitable contribution toward his presidential library, ending a defamation lawsuit over assertions by George Stephanopoulos that Trump was civilly liable for raping writer E. Jean Carroll. The network also posted a note on its site expressing regret for the claim made during a March 10, 2024 segment on This Week. Trump had sued Stephanopoulos and ABC for defamation; his lawsuits against other outlets have largely been settled or dismissed, with none reaching a full court ruling. He has also pursued actions against The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, CBS News' 60 Minutes, and Rupert Murdoch, arguing they damaged his political standing, though recent filings were pared down.
ABC said Kimmel's return would proceed after Nexstar Media Group, which operates affiliates nationwide, threatened to drop the show amid the controversy. The dispute has intensified a broader debate over free speech, satire, and the limits of late-night political commentary. The entertainment company Disney later announced it would reverse an earlier indefinite hiatus of Kimmel's program amid the backlash.
Several high-profile figures, including members of the ACLU and a group of stars such as Robert De Niro, Jane Fonda, Ben Affleck, Jamie Lee Curtis, Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep, signed an open letter in solidarity with Kimmel. The letter criticized government pressure on artists and journalists as an attack on free speech and called on Americans to defend constitutional rights. The controversy has involved Turning Point USA, Sinclair Broadcast Group, and Nexstar, with Sinclair and Nexstar urging Kimmel to apologize or to make donations to support Kirk's family and related causes. It remains unclear whether Kimmel will issue an apology on air Tuesday as the show returns.
Trump's threats come as the media landscape faces ongoing legal fights and political tensions over coverage of the former president, with ongoing tensions between conservative media outlets and mainstream networks. The latest developments underscore how legal settlements, corporate decisions, and public outcry intersect with late-night entertainment and the broader debate about media influence in American politics.