Jimmy Kimmel Extends Show Contract Amid Trump Feud

Liberal late-night host Jimmy Kimmel announced during Monday’s episode of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” that he’s signed a one-year contract extension with ABC, extending the show until May 2027. This comes in the wake of his ongoing public spat with President Donald Trump. Previously, Kimmel’s contract was set to expire next May.

Trump has repeatedly expressed his desire for Kimmel’s removal and recently questioned Kimmel’s capabilities to host the Kennedy Center Honors Ceremony.

In response, Kimmel didn’t hold back, firing back with his own jibe. In a recent monologue, he addressed the contract extension and humorously noted Trump’s apparent “obsession” with him, remarking, “I’m starting to wonder if he’s obsessed with me.”

This extension follows a turbulent few months for Kimmel’s show, which saw a temporary suspension in September due to Kimmel’s contentious remarks following the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. He insinuated that Trump supporters had committed a crime, despite evidence to the contrary.

Interestingly, Google’s 2025 Year of Search list revealed that “Charlie Kirk” was the top search term in the US this year.

Kimmel reflected on the backlash at the time, saying, “I’ll never be able to go back on the air again.” He quickly redirected the focus back to Trump, criticizing the president’s handling of grief: “This is not the way an adult would grieve the murder of someone they called a friend…This is how a 4-year-old would mourn a goldfish.”

Shortly after, Brendan Carr, the head of the Federal Communications Commission, condemned Kimmel’s comments and indicated that his broadcast license could come under review.

In turn, some Democrats and left-leaning commentators speculated that the Trump administration was secretly influencing the FCC to target Kimmel. However, such theories lost momentum quickly. “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” was back on air less than a week later, and the idea of Trump’s alleged control over the FCC was debunked.

It’s worth noting that the FCC, created in 1934, is an independent regulatory agency. While the president appoints its five commissioners, including the chair, these appointments require Senate approval. Moreover, legally, no more than three commissioners can come from the same political party. Therefore, Trump cannot instruct the FCC to take specific actions like revoking licenses or censoring shows.

This new deal could position Kimmel’s show as one of the longest-running late-night shows, already surpassing “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” “Late Night with Seth Meyers,” and “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.”