Did Erika Kirk file a defamation lawsuit against ABC over Jimmy Kimmel joke? Viral claim debunked

Reports of Charlie Kirk’s wife, Erika, filing a lawsuit against ABC are trending online. The latest news arrived a few days after Jimmy Kimmel’s monologue related to the political activist on his show on September 15, 2025, landed him in controversy.

Notably, the lawsuit report has been revealed to be fake. It was first shared by a Facebook page titled America’s Last Line of Defense on Wednesday, September 17. The biography of the account says that anything they post is not real. The page description also says:

“We are here to provide you with information you can use to continue being as informed as a conservative feels comfortable with. Please don’t use our page in conjunction with Google or the news, it will only serve to confuse you further.”

The social media post claimed that Erika Kirk allegedly filed a $40 million defamation lawsuit against ABC and The View, claiming that everything that was said about her late husband was “shameful and disgusting.” A post by @17QStorm also included another alleged message by Erika, which reads:

“The days of slandering good people for ratings are over. From now on, they’ll be held accountable under the law.”

Although Erika has not responded to the viral reports emerging online. Netizens were spotted giving different reactions below the Facebook post. While a few people were spotted supporting the alleged lawsuit, others questioned the reason for suing ABC and The View for defamation.

Stephen Colbert shows his support towards Jimmy Kimmel on The Late Show

As mentioned earlier, Kimmel’s comments on Charlie Kirk were featured in an episode that aired earlier this week. According to CNBC, the comedian and talk show host was heard alleging that the suspect, Tyler Robinson, was somehow connected to President Donald Trump’s MAGA Movement.

Stephen Colbert has now shared his response to the ongoing situation as he spoke on The Late Show on Thursday, September 18. Colbert started his monologue by introducing himself and later saying that “we are all Jimmy Kimmel.” He further stated:

“With an autocrat, you cannot give an inch. Jimmy, I stand with you and your staff 100%.”

Notably, Colbert has also been in the headlines ever since CBS announced in July this year that The Late Show is being canceled after May 2026. CBS claimed at the time that the decision was related to financial issues.

Apart from Stephen Colbert, other popular personalities like Jon Stewart and Rob Schneider have also reacted to the latest decision taken by ABC. Jimmy Kimmel was reportedly spotted coming out of the El Capitan Theatre but did not comment on anything related to his show, as stated by Reuters.

A spokesperson for ABC confirmed the preempting of Kimmel’s show to The Hollywood Reporter on September 17, 2025. The network’s affiliate, Nexstar, also revealed the same in a lengthy statement, saying that they were moving forward to continue the use of “respectful, constructive dialogue.”