Have a good laugh: After being briefly suspended, Jimmy Kimmel is now even getting a contract extension.Image: keystone
Despite political pressure from the Trump camp: Jimmy Kimmel can extend his contract with Disney’s ABC for at least one year.
Dec 9, 2025, 5:02 amDec 9, 2025, 5:02 am
Anna-Lena Janzen / t-online
US President Donald Trump wants to get rid of him; his show was only temporarily canceled in September due to pressure from the government. But Jimmy Kimmel can prevail: The late-night host has extended his contract with the Disney subsidiary ABC by one year. So he will host the show “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” will continue to moderate until mid-2027, as several US media outlets consistently reported. His contract would have expired in May next year.
In a broadcast, Kimmel accused President Donald Trump’s camp of taking political advantage of the murder of ultra-right activist Charlie Kirk. He had said of the alleged assassin and Trump supporters: “The MAGA gang is desperately trying to portray this boy who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything but one of their own, and they are doing everything they can to make political capital out of it.”
The pro-Trump head of the FCC media regulator then obviously threatened the station with the withdrawal of its broadcasting licenses if the Kimmel show continued. The ABC partner companies Sinclair and Nexstar then announced that they would be removing the show from the program, whereupon Disney also announced “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” no longer broadcast. The decision sparked massive criticism, and Disney ultimately backtracked.
Trump thinks he is the better show host
Trump had only dealt against the US entertainer at an event on Saturday evening in the White House – and described himself as a better show host. Shortly before the prestigious Kennedy Center awards ceremony, Trump said he would personally host the gala in Washington – and not only make television history, but also achieve higher ratings than Kimmel, who has hosted the Oscar gala several times.
“Jimmy Kimmel was terrible. If I don’t surpass him in terms of talent, I shouldn’t be president,” Trump said. The Kennedy Center Honors will air Dec. 23.
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