Viewers Flood FCC With Complaints Over Kimmel Suspension

Complaints accused FCC Chair Brendan Carr and President Trump of censorship following ABC's temporary suspension of Jimmy Kimmel's show.

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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After ABC temporarily suspended Jimmy Kimmel's late-night show in 2025 amid pressure from FCC Chair Brendan Carr following backlash from MAGA supporters over Kimmel's comments about the reaction to the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, viewers flooded the FCC with complaints accusing the government of censorship and violating the First Amendment. The 'vast majority' of complaints targeted the FCC rather than Kimmel, with many using colorful language to criticize Carr and Trump.

Why it matters

The incident highlights growing concerns over free speech and the government's role in influencing media content, as well as the ongoing tensions between late-night comedians and the Trump-aligned political faction.

The details

According to TMZ, which obtained the complaints through a Freedom of Information Act request, many of the complaints accused FCC Chair Brendan Carr and President Donald Trump of censorship and argued the government was violating the First Amendment by pressuring networks to pull Kimmel, a frequent target of Trump's criticism. Only a handful of complaints were actually aimed at Kimmel, 58, and a few mentioned fellow late-night host Stephen Colbert.

  • In September 2025, ABC temporarily suspended Jimmy Kimmel's late-night show for five days.
  • The suspension came after FCC Chair Brendan Carr threatened to revoke ABC's broadcasting license in response to Kimmel's comments about MAGA's reaction to the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.

The players

Jimmy Kimmel

A 58-year-old late-night talk show host whose show was temporarily suspended by ABC in 2025 amid backlash from MAGA supporters over his comments about the reaction to the assassination of Charlie Kirk.

Brendan Carr

The 47-year-old chair of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) who threatened to revoke ABC's broadcasting license in response to Kimmel's comments, leading to the temporary suspension of his show.

Donald Trump

The former President of the United States, who was a frequent target of criticism from Kimmel and was seen as aligned with the MAGA supporters who pressured the FCC to take action against the late-night host.

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What’s next

The FCC has not indicated whether it will take any further action in response to the complaints, and it remains to be seen if the incident will have any lasting impact on the relationship between the government and late-night comedy.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing tensions between free speech, political influence, and the media, as well as the power that government agencies like the FCC can wield over content creators, even those who are critical of the current administration.