Former Vice President Kamala Harris criticized the Trump administration over its “assault on free speech,” following Jimmy Kimmel‘s suspension from ABC over his comments about the assassination of Charlie Kirk.
“What we are witnessing is an outright abuse of power,” wrote Harris on X, without mentioning Kimmel directly. “This administration is attacking critics and using fear as a weapon to silence anyone who would speak out. Media corporations — from television networks to newspapers — are capitulating to these threats.”
She added, “We cannot dare to be silent or complacent in the face of this frontal assault on free speech. We, the People, deserve better.”
Harris joins a long list of politicians and celebrities alike raising concerns about the threat to free speech after ABC’s decision to “indefinitely” pull Jimmy Kimmel Live! amid pressure from the administration.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said the Republican Party “does not believe in free speech,” adding, “These aren’t coincidences. It’s coordinated. And it’s dangerous… They are censoring you in real time.”
In his own post to X, Barack Obama wrote, “After years of complaining about cancel culture, the current administration has taken it to a new and dangerous level by routinely threatening regulatory action against media companies unless they muzzle or fire reporters and commentators it doesn’t like.”
An ABC spokesperson confirmed Wednesday that Kimmel would be pulled shortly after Nexstar — the largest TV station owner — kicked his late-night show off its U.S. stations.
During Kimmel’s Monday monologue, the comedian criticized right-wingers for trying to “score political points” off Kirk’s murder.
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“We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said on his show.
President Donald Trump’s Federal Communications Commission chairman, Brendan Carr, publicly called on licensed broadcasters to stop airing Kimmel’s show the following day. “We can do this the easy way or the hard way,” Carr previously said speaking with conservative podcaster Benny Johnson. “These companies can find ways to change conduct and take action, frankly, on Kimmel or there’s going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.”
