Jimmy Kimmel said on his late-night show that the "MAGA gang" was "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." He accused Donald Trump and his allies of exploiting the assassination of the conservative activist Charlie Kirk for political gain. Kimmel also criticized the way Trump reacted to the shooting, mocking Trump's comments about construction at the White House as a sign of immature grieving. Kimmel said, "This is not how an adult grieves the murder of someone he calls a friend; it resembles how a toddler grieves for a goldfish".

Following these remarks, ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel's show indefinitely. The comments sparked controversy with some accusing Kimmel of misleading the public, while former President Trump praised the suspension, calling Kimmel's comments "a horrible thing" about Charlie Kirk and criticizing Kimmel's show ratings.