Washington: US President Donald Trump has suggested that television networks critical of him could face licence revocation, following ABC’s suspension of late-night host Jimmy Kimmel.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump praised the network’s decision to pull Jimmy Kimmel Live! and hinted that regulatory action could target outlets providing what he described as “97 per cent negative” coverage of his presidency.

The remarks came amid widespread backlash over Kimmel’s comments about conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was shot and killed last week.

Trump criticized Kimmel, calling him “not a talented person” with “very bad ratings” and said that his suspension was long overdue. He told reporters, “He was fired for lack of talent. He had bad ratings more than anything else, and he said a horrible thing about a great gentleman known as Charlie Kirk. This is great news for America.”

According to Nielsen, Jimmy Kimmel Live! experienced a 43 per cent drop in viewership in 2025, falling behind late-night rivals like Greg Gutfeld and Stephen Colbert. Trump also referenced other late-night hosts on Truth Social, writing, “That leaves Jimmy and Seth, two total losers, on Fake News NBC… Do it, NBC!”

Kimmel had suggested on his show that Kirk’s assassin was a Trump supporter and mocked Trump for discussing a new ballroom while responding to questions about Kirk’s death.

The suspension drew support from FCC Chair Brendan Carr, who praised ABC’s decision and had previously warned of “remedies” against hosts who mislead the public.

However, the move sparked outrage from free speech advocates. Former President Barack Obama condemned the suspension as “government coercion,” citing First Amendment protections, while veteran host David Letterman called ABC’s action “ridiculous” and warned of “managed media.”

Legally, the FCC only licenses individual broadcast stations, not entire networks, making Trump’s threat uncertain under current regulations.