Explainer: What did Jimmy Kimmel say about Charlie Kirk’s killing?

When announcing that it would pull Jimmy Kimmel’s programme, TV station operator Nexstar Communications Group called comments the comedian had made about Charlie Kirk’s death “offensive and insensitive at a critical time in our national political discourse.”

Supporters of Donald Trump have praised the decision, with the White House deputy chief of staff calling it an example of “consequence culture.”

But what did Kimmel actually say that raised the ire of the president’s Maga movement?

During his Monday evening monologue, Kimmel suggested Kirk’s alleged killer, Tyler Robinson, might have been a pro-Trump Republican.

“The Maga Gang [is] 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.

It appears this was the comment that most angered Trump supporters and officials.

In an interview earlier on Wednesday, the Trump-appointed head of the US media regulator said it appeared to be a “concerted effort to try to lie to the American people.”

Brendan Carr went on to call Kimmel’s comments an attempt to “play into a narrative that this was somehow a Maga or Republican motivated person.”

Carr went on to threaten that if action were not taken against Kimmel, there would be “additional work for the FCC ahead.”

“It’s long past the time that a lot of these licenses broadcasters themselves … say ‘We’re not gonna run Kimmel anymore ... because we licensed broadcasters are running the possibly of fines or licensed revocation from the FCC,’” Carr said.

Democratic senator Ed Markey called it “censorship in action.”

The “FCC chair threatens ABC and Disney over Kimmel’s comments. Hours later, he’s off air. It’s dangerous and unconstitutional. The message to every media company is clear: Adopt the MAGA line or the Federal Censorship Commission will come after you,” Markey said.

Jimmy Kimmel also mentioned reaction to the death of Kirk on his Tuesday programme as well, saying “many in Maga-land are working very hard to capitalize on the murder of Charlie Kirk”.

Referencing vice-president JD Vance’s comment while guest-hosting Kirk’s podcast, Kimmel said “the president and his henchmen are doing their best to fan the flames, so they can I guess attack people on the dangerous left.”

The Hollywood Reporter has said that Kimmel was preparing to address the backlash on Wednesday night’s show and show how his comments had been taken out of context. Their report says he was not intending on apologising for them.