Kimmel, Trump and the Asphyxiation of American Free Speech

Frequently hurling abuse at major outlets for any form of criticism, Donald Trump is known for his hostility towards the press. He used the term “fake news” as many as 2000 times during his first presidency.

The president has cultivated a belligerent environment at the heart of American journalism. During his 2024 campaign, he threatened to jail reporters and strip networks of licences for coverage he did not like, such as that of his connections to Jeffrey Epstein, and between 1 September and 24 October, he insulted, attacked, or threatened the media at least 108 times in public speeches, while promising to bring free speech back to America.

Jimmy Kimmel began hosting Jimmy Kimmel Live! in 2003, and has criticised Trump since his first term. After the killing of Charlie Kirk on 10 September, Trump and other conservatives incited violence and pressured employers to fire those critical of Kirk and his political views, Kimmel commenting, “Many in ‘MAGA land’ are working very hard to capitalize on the murder of Charlie Kirk.” Kimmel also mocked Trump’s response to the death, “Yes, he’s at the fourth stage of grief: construction. This is not how an adult grieves the murder of someone he called a friend.” 

FCC chairman Brendan Carr, who has increasingly acted as Trump’s “attack dog”,  threatened ABC to take action against Kimmel, capitalising on the simmering MAGA uproar. He called upon local broadcasters to stop broadcasting the show, warning that those who continued could face fines or lose licenses. Dozens vowed to stop broadcasting the show, likely effectuating the suspension.

On 17 September, Disney, parent company of ABC, halted production to “avoid escalating tensions during an ‘emotional moment for our country’.” Kimmel expressed his unwillingness to apologise, but planned to clarify his comments and denounce the misconstruing of his remarks by Trump supporters.

California saw protests, and hundreds of Hollywood celebrities signed a letter backing Kimmel. Many consumers also ended subscriptions to Disney’s streaming services. The incident follows the cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, which some suspect to have been politically motivated due to Colbert’s outspoken criticism of Trump.

On 22 September, the suspension was lifted. 

Kimmel echoed the importance of free speech, stating “that’s something I’m embarrassed to say I took for granted until they pulled my friend Stephen off the air and tried to coerce the affiliates who run our show in the cities that you live in to take my show off the air. That’s not legal, that’s not American, that is un-American. And it’s so dangerous…”

Early media suppression signals a well-trodden path of dictatorial consolidation. Stalin created an alternate reality through the media, rewriting history and exaggerating economic achievements. Franco weaponised catholicism to justify censorship and manipulate religious devotion into political loyalty. And Hitler famously controlled all media through Joseph Goebbels and the Reich Ministry of Enlightenment and Propaganda.

In modern history, authoritarian rulers adhere to a playbook, exhibiting many similar trends regarding attitudes towards the media. These include: banning opposition media, criminalising criticism, establishing state-controlled media and a monopoly on ‘truth’, cultivating a cult of personality, expelling foreign journalists, and restricting access to information. 

Trump barred the Associated Press from accessing the White House earlier this year due to its continued use of the term “Gulf of Mexico.” Trump has not criminalised dissent, but is invariably hostile and has threatened to change libel laws to make it easier to sue journalists. He has repeatedly induced Americans to distrust all media except for his preferred sources. He has cultivated a cult of personality through rallies, merchandise, and slogans, as well as framing himself as superior, “I alone can fix it”. Finally, he has attacked and side-lined scientific agencies, especially during the pandemic, and restricted or manipulated information and data, especially relating to the pandemic, climate, and immigration. 

Words by Daniel Spencer