Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel could be investigated by federal regulators after claiming that the suspected killer of conservative activist Charlie Kirk was a MAGA supporter. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr told podcaster Benny Johnson on Wednesday that he is considering probing Kimmel and ABC over the remarks, which prosecutors say misrepresented the suspect's political leanings.
During his Monday monologue, Kimmel said: '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.' However, prosecutors have charged Tyler Robinson, 22, with Kirk's murder, and evidence suggests he held leftist views.
Carr described Kimmel's conduct as 'some of the sickest conduct possible' and floated potential remedies, including an on-air apology to Kirk's family. 'I think what you said there strikes me as a very reasonable, minimal step that can be taken,' Carr told Johnson, who had proposed such an apology.
The FCC chief also linked the situation to broader media changes under President Trump, citing the defunding of NPR and PBS, the cancellation of Stephen Colbert's show, and departures of Joy Reid and Terry Moran. Carr claimed these moves are 'consequences' of Trump's challenge to legacy media.
Carr, appointed by Trump in November, has previously supported legislation to penalise social media platforms for viewpoint-based content moderation and backed stripping broadcast licences over coverage decisions. ABC recently settled a defamation case with Trump for $16 million over a George Stephanopoulos comment.
