Minnesota Governor Critiques ABC’s Suspension of Jimmy Kimmel

Minnesota Governor Tim Waltz responded sharply this week to ABC’s decision to pull Jimmy Kimmel’s show off the air, comparing the situation to something you might see in North Korea.

“It’s incredibly frustrating,” he said. “It’s like we’re living under a dictatorship. This weak, pale-skinned guy is failing as president, and everything he promised has fallen flat. It’s exactly how a dictator operates.”

He emphasized the importance of being able to highlight a president who hasn’t improved life for Minnesotans, describing the situation as troubling and hypocritical.

ABC announced Kimmel’s indefinite suspension following backlash to comments he made regarding a recent shooting involving a figure named Charlie Kirk in Utah.

In an episode of “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” Kimmel remarked, “We hit a new low this weekend, with the MAGA crowd trying to portray this kid, who seems intent on harming Charlie Kirk, as something he’s not, just to score political points.”

While this decision drew significant criticism from Democrats, it was welcomed by President Trump and members of his administration. Some voices on the left are now calling for Brendan Kerr, the head of the Federal Communications Commission, to step down following ABC’s move.

Kerr previously attended a meeting at the station before Kimmel’s show was halted, during which concerns about the future of media freedom were raised, as noted by conservative commentator Benny Johnson.

Waltz mentioned he wasn’t surprised by the turn of events. “I’m not shocked by what Donald Trump does,” he said. “What worries me is the implications. Reclaiming democracy after it’s been lost is much tougher than protecting it while we still have it.”

He encouraged viewers to keep an eye on the situation and praised certain conservative voices for their willingness to call out such actions. “This is outrageous,” he stated.

This decision follows an announcement from Nexstar Media Group, which owns the local affiliate, indicating that Kimmel’s show would be pre-empted. Kimmel had intended to discuss Kerr’s statements on Wednesday but learned later that wouldn’t happen, as detailed in a report from the Wall Street Journal.

On Thursday, Trump also hinted that late-night shows shouldn’t be overwhelmingly critical of him, a sentiment Governor Waltz challenged. “We can all speak our minds,” he expressed. “Sometimes we make mistakes, sure. But the idea that critics should tone down their speech, simply because it’s viewed as anti-Trump? That’s completely misguided.”

“This isn’t about the conversation surrounding Charlie Kirk’s tragic incident,” he concluded. “It’s about stifling speech against Trump.”