FCC Chair Defends Stance on Kimmel Controversy

Brendan Carr says he has 'no regrets' over his involvement in the Jimmy Kimmel saga last year.

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr says he has 'no regrets' over his involvement in the Jimmy Kimmel controversy that erupted last fall. Carr had threatened Disney over Kimmel's comments about the alleged murderer of conservative icon Charlie Kirk, suggesting the perpetrator was part of MAGA despite reports indicating a left-wing ideology. While Disney ultimately benched Kimmel, Carr became the face of censorship allegations and was even satirized on 'South Park'.

Why it matters

The Kimmel controversy highlighted the ongoing tensions between national media companies and local broadcasters, with Carr arguing that local stations should have more autonomy to decide what programming is appropriate for their communities. The incident also sparked a broader debate about free speech, censorship, and the role of the FCC in regulating broadcast content.

The details

In September, following the assassination of Charlie Kirk, Jimmy Kimmel sparked outrage for suggesting the alleged murderer, Tyler Robinson, was part of MAGA, despite reports indicating Robinson expressed a left-wing ideology. At the time, Carr issued a threat to Disney about the potential 'avenues' the FCC could pursue, telling a YouTube host that the companies could 'find ways to change conduct' or face 'additional work for the FCC ahead.' This led to Sinclair Broadcast Group and Nexstar Media Group vowing to ban 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' on their stations, and Disney ultimately preempting Kimmel's show 'indefinitely.' While the FCC had no direct involvement in Disney's decision, Carr became the face of censorship allegations, even being satirized on 'South Park'.

  • In September, Jimmy Kimmel sparked outrage for his comments about Charlie Kirk's alleged murderer, Tyler Robinson.
  • Following the controversy, Disney announced it would preempt Kimmel's show 'indefinitely'.

The players

Brendan Carr

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman who defended his involvement in the Jimmy Kimmel controversy and said he has 'no regrets' over his actions.

Jimmy Kimmel

The ABC late-night host whose comments about the alleged murderer of conservative icon Charlie Kirk sparked outrage and led to his show being preempted by Disney.

Tyler Robinson

The alleged murderer of conservative icon Charlie Kirk, who Kimmel suggested was part of MAGA despite reports indicating a left-wing ideology.

Sinclair Broadcast Group

A media company that vowed to ban 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' on its stations in response to Kimmel's comments.

Nexstar Media Group

A media company that also vowed to ban 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' on its stations in response to Kimmel's comments.

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What they’re saying

“Well, you can't see it because I have a collar and a tie on, but underneath I have a 'No Regrets' tattoo right across the bottom of my neck. And that's sort of the motto that I tend to live by.”

— Brendan Carr, FCC Chairman (Fox News Digital)

“Look, we can do this the easy way or the hard way. These companies can find ways to change conduct, to take action, frankly, on Kimmel, or, you know, there's going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.”

— Brendan Carr, FCC Chairman (Benny Johnson (YouTube host)

What’s next

The FCC is expected to continue monitoring the conduct of media companies and their programming decisions, with Carr indicating he wants to see more local broadcasters push back against national programmers when content is not a good fit for their communities.

The takeaway

The Kimmel controversy highlighted the ongoing tensions between national media companies and local broadcasters, with the FCC chairman arguing that local stations should have more autonomy to decide what programming is appropriate for their communities. The incident also sparked a broader debate about free speech, censorship, and the role of the FCC in regulating broadcast content.