Vance: FCC leader’s Kimmel comment was a ‘joke’

On Wednesday, Vice President Vance expressed skepticism regarding Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Kerr’s seriousness when he suggested airing comments from comedian Jimmy Kimmel about Charlie Kirk’s tragic shooting.

Vance questioned the FCC commissioner’s social media activity, suggesting it was inappropriate. “People are asking, did the FCC commissioner really not tweet something controversial?… He’s joking around,” Vance remarked during a press briefing in North Carolina. “What actions did the Trump administration take to remove Jimmy Kimmel or anyone else from the airwaves? None whatsoever.”

“We haven’t enforced any government pressure telling people they can’t express their views—none,” he elaborated.

The vice president emphasized that the Trump administration “champions freedom of speech.”

“We’re committed to defending it daily,” he mentioned. “In stark contrast, look at the Biden administration. Just yesterday, we saw conservatives facing censorship on YouTube and various social media platforms.”

Kimmel faced a temporary suspension last week following Kerr’s criticism of his remarks after Kirk’s assassination. Kerr described Kimmel’s comments as “one of the most vile acts” and claimed that ABC and its affiliates were sidelining him.

This week, Disney, which owns the network, brought Kimmel back, and he returned to address the surrounding controversy on Tuesday. The Nexstar Media Group, which owns The Hill, along with Sinclair, opted to maintain the show’s airing.

During his emotional comeback, Kimmel stressed the seriousness of the situation, insisting that there’s nothing humorous about the murder of a young individual. “I wasn’t pointing fingers at any specific group for Kirk’s death,” he said.

He also labeled the suspect as “clearly a deeply disturbed individual.”

In an exclusive chat with Nexstar’s Reshad Hudson, Vance pointed out that Kimmel’s monologue didn’t include an apology for his remarks about Kirk.