President Donald Trump has welcomed the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live! by ABC, after the show’s host made comments about a recent murder and its alleged connection to right-wing ideology. The suspension has sparked concerns about the implications for free speech in the United States.

ABC pulled the show from broadcast indefinitely, following objections from Republicans to Kimmel’s live comments on the murder of Charlie Kirk. Kimmel had stated that some individuals were attempting to characterize the perpetrator as anything other than a supporter of the MAGA movement, and were using the incident to score political points.

In response to the suspension, Trump wrote on Truth Social that ABC had finally shown the courage to take action. This is not the first time Trump has targeted Kimmel, having called for him to be taken off the air as recently as two weeks ago. The president has also pushed for ABC to lose its broadcasting license, claiming that the network is biased against him.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chairman, Brendan Carr, had threatened ABC’s broadcasting license and called for action to be taken against Kimmel. Following the suspension, Trump called for other talk shows, including The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Late Night with Seth Meyers, to also face suspension.

Not everyone is pleased with Kimmel’s suspension, with many commentators expressing concerns about the implications for freedom of speech. Some have argued that the suspension is an example of state repression, with the government using its power to suppress lawful expression.

The sole Democratic FCC member, Anna Gomez, posted on X that an act of violence by one individual should not be used as justification for broader censorship and control. Atlantic writer David Frum told CNN that the suspension was an example of the government using its power to suppress speech, and that it was not an example of cancel culture, but rather state repression.

The suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live! has significant implications for the media landscape in the United States, and raises important questions about the limits of free speech and the role of government in regulating the media. As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen what the long-term consequences of the suspension will be, and how it will impact the broader debate about free speech and censorship.