President Donald Trump launched a scathing attack against former late-night host David Letterman on Friday, September 19, 2025, calling him “highly overrated” and declaring, “he looks like hell” in response to Letterman’s criticism of Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension from ABC.
Trump’s harsh remarks came after Letterman defended Kimmel during the Atlantic Festival, where the retired television host condemned ABC’s decision to suspend “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” The suspension began on Wednesday, September 17, following pressure from FCC chair Brendan Carr and network affiliate groups who objected to Kimmel’s comments about conservative pundit Charlie Kirk’s alleged killer, Tyler Robinson.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump questioned what happened to Letterman, whose ratings were never very good, according to the president. Trump concluded his attack by calling the former “Late Show” host a “loser,” noting that at least Letterman knew when to quit.
Letterman, who retired from “The Late Show” in 2015 and was replaced by Stephen Colbert, expressed strong opposition to the situation during his Atlantic Festival appearance. He described the circumstances as misery and explicitly supported his good friend Jimmy Kimmel. The former host criticized what he characterized as managed media, stating that people cannot fire someone because they are fearful or trying to appeal to what he termed an authoritarian and criminal administration.
The controversy originated from Kimmel’s Monday night, September 15, broadcast, where he suggested that the MAGA movement was desperately trying to characterize Kirk’s alleged killer as anything other than one of their own while attempting to score political points from the situation. These comments prompted Carr to encourage affiliate groups to push back against Disney by dropping what he called the garbage program from their lineup.
Major affiliate groups Nexstar and Sinclair quickly issued statements indicating they would suspend the show, leading to widespread criticism from politicians and entertainers, including Barack Obama, Gavin Newsom, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Stephen Colbert, Jay Leno, and Conan O’Brien. The suspension raised concerns about free speech and government pressure on media outlets.
Trump celebrated Kimmel’s suspension in a separate Truth Social post on Wednesday night, September 17, calling it great news for America and congratulating ABC for having the courage to make what he considered a necessary decision. The president also called for the suspension of “The Tonight Show’s” Jimmy Fallon and “Late Night’s” Seth Meyers from NBC, describing all three hosts as having horrible ratings.
During a press conference the following day, Trump maintained that ABC dropped “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” as a business decision based on viewership, despite the affiliate groups publicly announcing political motivations for their actions. He told reporters during a visit to the United Kingdom that Kimmel was fired because of bad ratings more than anything else, while also criticizing the host’s comments about Kirk.
The situation has created an unusual political dynamic, with several conservative figures expressing concern about federal regulators attempting to silence media voices over free speech issues. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas warned on his podcast “Verdict With Ted Cruz” that embracing FCC license stripping for disagreeable speech could lead to future Democratic presidents targeting conservative voices, describing such regulatory threats as mafia-like maneuvers.
Nine Democratic senators, led by Adam Schiff of California, wrote a letter to Carr expressing grave concern over the FCC’s apparent role in Kimmel’s suspension. The senators argued that the agency’s regulatory authority over broadcast licenses was never intended to serve as a weapon to silence criticism or punish satirical commentary, emphasizing that the FCC’s mission should serve the public interest rather than act as an enforcement arm for political retribution.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta also wrote to Carr, accusing the Trump administration of waging a dangerous attack on those who dare to speak out against it. Bonta called on Carr to recommit to defending free speech, including by disavowing his previous remarks about Kimmel’s situation.
Carr, a longtime FCC member, has emerged this year as a prominent and outspoken defender of the Trump administration. An attorney by profession, he began his career at the FCC in 2012 as a staffer and was elevated to commissioner in 2017 following Trump’s appointment. After Trump secured reelection, he selected Carr to lead the regulatory body. Carr has maintained a visible presence at Mar-a-Lago and on Fox News, and earlier this year, he publicly signaled his allegiance to Trump by wearing a gold lapel pin featuring the president’s likeness.
In 2024, Carr gained national attention after authoring the section on the FCC in the conservative policy framework known as Project 2025. In that chapter, he criticized tech and media companies for what he saw as the suppression of right-wing perspectives and for promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. He argued that one of the agency’s chief goals should be to rein in Big Tech. Carr pledged to hold television and radio broadcasters responsible, and just an hour after expressing gratitude to the president for his appointment, he posted on X that the censorship cartel must be broken apart to restore everyday Americans’ right to free speech.
Since Trump’s election, Carr has taken a combative stance, warning broadcasters of possible enforcement actions and investigations over what he views as insults toward Trump and the MAGA movement. He maintains an active presence on social media and openly shares his political leanings. When ABC suspended Kimmel’s show, Carr responded with a dancing GIF from “The Office” to celebrate the news. Later, on Thursday morning, he posted on X expressing that he was pleased to see many broadcasters engaging with their audiences as intended.
The escalating conflict between Trump and late-night hosts reflects broader tensions over media coverage and free speech during the early months of the president’s second term.