"A true bunch of losers": Donald Trump slams ABC and Jimmy Kimmel while threatening legal action against the show’s comeback

Donald Trump attacked ABC’s decision to restore Jimmy Kimmel Live! ahead of the show’s September 23, 2025, return. Donald Trump posted at 8:05 a.m. on September 24, 2025, from the official @realDonaldTrump handle on Truth Social, calling ABC “a true bunch of losers” and warning, “we’re going to test ABC.” He framed Jimmy Kimmel Live! as “99%… Democrat GARBAGE” and suggested it could be an “Illegal Campaign Contribution,” while boasting about a prior settlement:

“Last time I went after them, they gave me $16 Million Dollars.”

The post came as ABC reversed a six-day suspension tied to Kimmel’s remarks the week prior. Disney said the earlier comments were “ill-timed and thus insensitive,” but cleared the late-night show to resume. Several large affiliate groups, including Nexstar and Sinclair, continued to preempt the program in key markets even after the network’s decision, creating a patchwork return.

The clash now moves from a scheduling dispute to a legal and political test, Donald Trump says he intends to pursue.

What exactly did Donald Trump say, and is he really gearing up to sue ABC again?

"I can’t believe ABC Fake News gave Jimmy Kimmel his job back. The White House was told by ABC that his Show was cancelled! Something happened between then and now because his audience is GONE, and his “talent” was never there.… I think we’re going to test ABC out on this.”

He closed with,

“Last time I went after them, they gave me $16 Million Dollars. This one sounds even more lucrative. A true bunch of losers! Let Jimmy Kimmel rot in his bad Ratings.”

Donald Trump also revived his December 2024 settlement against ABC News, citing “$16 Million Dollars.” That figure tracks to a $15 million payment toward his presidential library and $1 million in legal fees following an on-air misstatement about the E. Jean Carroll case.

Disney explained its reinstatement by labeling Kimmel’s earlier remarks “ill-timed and thus insensitive,” while restoring the show. As per an ABC statement dated September 23, 2025, Disney stated,

"Last Wednesday, we made the decision to suspend production on the show to avoid further inflaming a tense situation at an emotional moment for our country. It is a decision we made because we felt some of the comments were ill-timed and thus insensitive."

The statement further read,

"We have spent the last days having thoughtful conversations with Jimmy, and after those conversations, we reached the decision to return the show on Tuesday."

Kimmel responded on air. As per a CBS News report dated September 24, 2025, Jimmy Kimmel stated on the return episode,

“[the President] made it very clear he wants to see me and the hundreds of people who work here fired from our jobs. Our leader celebrates Americans losing their livelihoods because he can't take a joke.”

He added,

"One thing I did learn from Lenny Bruce and George Carlin and Howard Stern, is that a government threat to silence a comedian the President doesn't like, is anti-American."

The timeline: Jimmy Kimmel’s monologue, ABC’s suspension, FCC pressure, and Disney’s U-turn

ABC affiliates began preempting Jimmy Kimmel Live! after the host’s mid-September remarks, with Nexstar formalizing an indefinite blackout on September 17, 2025. Disney announced on September 22, 2025, that Jimmy Kimmel Live! would return on September 23 with an acknowledgement that the prior comments were “ill-timed and thus insensitive.” FCC Chair Brendan Carr’s earlier comments on a Benny Johnson podcast read:

“Frankly, when you see stuff like this, I mean, we can do this the easy way, or the hard way. These companies can find ways to change conduct, to take action, frankly, on Kimmel, or there’s going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.”

The statement added heat, though he later downplayed any federal role at the Concordia Summit. On September 23-24, Donald Trump renewed attacks and threatened to “test ABC,” while Nexstar and Sinclair kept the program off many ABC affiliates despite the network’s reinstatement.

What changes for viewers now, and what real exposure does ABC face?

For viewers, Jimmy Kimmel Live! is back on the ABC network feed, but many local stations controlled by Nexstar and Sinclair remain dark for the show, affecting a sizable share of U.S. TV households. The program continues to stream on Disney platforms, partly offsetting linear gaps.

Regulatory exposure is more limited than rhetoric suggests. FCC content-based punishment faces high legal bars, and recent remarks from the chair have been reframed as commentary rather than imminent action. The larger risks are business: fractured carriage, advertiser caution, and continuing political pressure that could keep affiliates wary.

Stay tuned for more updates.