ABC has announced that it will indefinitely suspend the airing of "Jimmy Kimmel Live" following controversial remarks made by host Jimmy Kimmel regarding the murder of political activist Charlie Kirk. Kimmel's comments, made during a monologue earlier this week, suggested that the alleged killer, Tyler Robinson, might be associated with pro-Trump Republicans. Robinson, 22, has been charged with the aggravated murder of Kirk during an event at a Utah university.

In his September 15 monologue, Kimmel stated, "We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang trying to characterize this kid who killed Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them." He criticized the political discourse surrounding the incident, saying, "In between the finger-pointing, there was grieving."

The remarks drew sharp criticism from Brendan Carr, the chair of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Carr described Kimmel's comments as "the sickest conduct possible" during an interview on a right-wing podcast. He indicated that the FCC could take action against ABC, including the potential revocation of affiliate licenses, to compel the network to address Kimmel's behavior. Carr warned, "We can do this the easy way or the hard way. These companies can find ways to change conduct and take actions on Kimmel, or there’s going to be additional work for the FCC ahead."

Nexstar Media Group, which operates 32 ABC affiliates, also announced it would stop airing Kimmel's show, citing the offensive nature of his comments. Nexstar's broadcasting division president, Andrew Alford, stated, "Mr. Kimmel’s comments about the death of Mr. Kirk are offensive and insensitive at a critical time in our national political discourse."

An ABC spokesperson confirmed the show's suspension but did not provide further details. A representative for Kimmel did not respond to requests for comment. This incident marks a significant moment in the ongoing tensions between media figures and political discourse in the United States.

The FCC's actions and Kimmel's remarks have reignited discussions about the responsibilities of broadcasters and the impact of political commentary on public sentiment. This is not the first time Carr has targeted ABC; he previously criticized the network's daytime talk show "The View" over comments made by co-host Joy Behar about President Trump. Kimmel has also been a frequent target of Trump's criticism, with the former president suggesting that Kimmel is "talentless" in the wake of CBS's cancellation of Stephen Colbert's show.