Obama Criticizes Trump Administration’s “Cancellation Culture”

Former President Barack Obama has spoken out against the Trump administration, alleging it has intensified what he calls “cancellation culture.” He pointed to a climate where regulators seem to pressure media organizations to stifle voices they deem controversial or problematic.

“After years of criticizing cancellation culture, the current administration has taken it to new, alarming heights by frequently threatening regulatory actions against media outlets,” Obama stated.

His remarks come in light of Disney’s announcement that Fox News Digital will “indefinitely” stop airing ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” This decision follows comments made by conservative commentator Charlie Kirk that have drawn widespread backlash.

On September 17, 2025, Disney pulled Kimmel’s late-night show amid escalating tensions. Kimmel himself has taken aim at conservatives, alleging they have sunk to “new lows” by trying to associate the young suspect in a recent incident, Tyler Robinson, with left-wing ideologies. In the legal documents filed, it’s mentioned that Robinson, along with Utah Governor Spencer Cox, has leaned towards radical “left ideology” in recent times, with further details revealing disturbing messages found on his rifle magazine.

During his Tuesday night show, Kimmel expressed disbelief over the attempts to politicize the tragedy. He remarked, “We saw some truly low tactics from the MAGA crowd trying to redefine the narrative surrounding the child who committed the crime.” He also responded to Vice President J.D. Vance’s remarks on a conservative talk show, poking fun at the tone of the discussion while registering his disagreement with political assertions made.

In a strange turn, Brendan Kerr, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman appointed by Trump, issued a warning to Disney, demanding they respond to the controversial comments surrounding Kimmel. Kerr suggested that the FCC could take action if they feel the situation isn’t adequately addressed.

Despite the backlash, Kimmel has long used Trump as a target for his jokes, pointing to Trump’s frequent criticism of him in the press, where the former president labels Kimmel as a host with low ratings—allegedly only spiking when he discusses Trump.