Brendan Carr, the head of the Federal Communications Commission, made things worse after Jimmy Kimmel talked about Charlie Kirk’s death late at night. He has indicated that he will sue Kimmel, ABC, and Disney, which owns both firms. Carr told conservative writer Benny Johnson in a long interview that he was especially scared when Kimmel said on the air that the shooter who killed Kirk was a follower of the MAGA movement. This is a politically charged claim that has been proven to be false.
Sadly, Charlie Kirk, a well-known conservative activist and founder of Turning Point USA, was killed last Wednesday at a public gathering at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. People allege that Tyler Robinson, who is 22 years old, killed Kirk because he didn’t like his political views. He is now facing charges of aggravated murder and other serious offenses. Robinson is now facing the death penalty for the murder, according to officials.
Chairman Carr said that Kimmel’s comments were “truly sick” and that the ABC show should be put on hold. He said that this kind of careless and politically driven false information could put ABC’s and Disney’s federally granted broadcast license at risk. The move is a very important warning since the FCC has standards that broadcasters must follow, such as the duty to serve the public interest by giving out fair and truthful information.
Carr told Johnson that the FCC will get involved if Disney and ABC don’t fix the situation. Carr went on to say, “This is a very, very serious issue for Disney right now.” Carr remarked, “We can handle this in a simple or hard way.” If these companies can’t figure out how to deal with Kimmel, the FCC will have to do further work. He noted that networks have to meet a lot of requirements that come with FCC licenses if they want to keep their rights.
BREAKING: The FCC Chairman is threatening immediate action against Jimmy Kimmel, ABC, and Disney for deliberately misleading the public by claiming Charlie Kirk’s assassin was a MAGA Conservative.
Chairman Brendan Carr calls Kimmel’s malicious lies are “truly sick” and says they… pic.twitter.com/mGhtGMPReI
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) September 17, 2025
Carr said that there is a clear way to suspend Kimmel, and some people are clamoring for him to be fired. I guess you could definitely see a way to suspend someone for this. He also suggested that the FCC may deem this a “intentional effort to mislead the American people about a very core fundamental fact,” which could cause the government to take action. This means that sharing false information on such a huge and well-known event could be seen as breaking broadcasting laws, not just saying what you think or making a mistake.
Carr also told local affiliate stations that are licensed by the FCC to carry Disney’s shows to take responsibility. This was in addition to putting pressure on Disney and ABC. He told these stations to stop airing shows that spread lies and added, “It’s time for them to step up and say this garbage, if that’s what keeps coming down the pipe—isn’t something that serves the needs of our local communities.” Carr’s statements make it apparent that local broadcasters are responsible for the content they air, and affiliates might be punished if they keep spreading false information.
The scandal has prompted people discuss more about how the media affects people’s opinions, especially when it comes to subjects that are politically heated. Even though free speech is still a protected right, the FCC’s position makes it apparent that federally licensed broadcasters have a duty to avoid airing incorrect information that could mislead or insult the public.
Disney and ABC haven’t said much in public about what Carr said, but the whole business is on edge because the government might take action. The case could teach big broadcasters a lot about how to deal with political opinion and false information in the future, especially when the content is about violent or sensitive events.
Even though the investigation into Charlie Kirk’s murder and Tyler Robinson’s trial are moving forward, people are still focused on the suspect, the crime, and how the media covers and reacts to these kinds of incidents. Brendan Carr’s robust position shows that the FCC is ready to hold broadcasters accountable. He adds that having a lot of power means you have a lot of responsibility. How this situation is handled now could influence how networks balance their moral and legal duties with their freedom to report the news in the future.