Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr is drawing heat from some GOP lawmakers over his response to Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension.
Carr suggested Disney could face consequences if it failed to discipline Kimmel for remarks about Charlie Kirk’s assassination, telling Benny Johnson the FCC could “do this the easy way or the hard way.” Some Republicans say that kind of language risks blurring the line between private corporate decisions and government regulation of speech, warning the commission against overreach. (RELATED: Brendan Carr Identifies Which TV Show Is A Possible Target After Kimmel Suspension)
“This is a very, very serious issue right now for Disney,” Carr said on The Benny Show. “We can do this the easy way or the hard way. These companies can find ways to take action on Kimmel or there is going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.”
This is what got Kimmel fired.
Right here. Watch.It’s called soft power. The Left uses it all the time. Thanks to President Trump, the Right has learned how to wield power as well.
Brendan Carr is the most consequential FCC Chairman in American Historypic.twitter.com/z2NbyvV0tw
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) September 18, 2025
Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz used his “Verdict” podcast Friday to slam Kimmel’s remarks about Kirk’s assassination while also distancing himself from Carr’s warning to Disney. Cruz, who said he works closely with Carr and respects him, cautioned that it is “dangerous as hell” for federal regulators to threaten a network over political speech.
The senator added that Carr’s rhetoric sounded more like a mob shakedown than the language of a regulator, pointing to the FCC chairman’s suggestion that ABC’s licenses could be at risk.
“That’s right out of ‘Goodfellas,’” Cruz said. “That’s right out of a mafioso coming into a bar going, ‘Nice bar you have here. It’d be a shame if something happened to it.’”
House Energy and Commerce Chairman Brett Guthrie, whose committee directly oversees the FCC, warned against government meddling in broadcast content, according to Politico.
“Just because I don’t agree with what someone says, we need to be very careful,” Guthrie said. “We have to be extremely cautious to try to use government to influence what people say.”(RELATED: INGERSOLL: Sure, Bring Jimmy Kimmel Back, But First A Big If …)
Republican Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul echoed that view on X, arguing that the First Amendment does not apply to private companies disciplining employees.
“The first amendment says nothing about private companies firing people who say despicable things,” Paul wrote. “I’m with Sinclair on this one. The FCC should not be involved, however. Sinclair demands an apology from Jimmy Kimmel.”
The first amendment says nothing about private companies firing people who say despicable things. I’m with Sinclair on this one.
The FCC should not be involved, however.
Sinclair demands apology from Jimmy Kimmel https://t.co/aaHf9xQ5up
— Rand Paul (@RandPaul) September 18, 2025
Republican Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley also pushed back on government involvement in policing speech, telling HuffPost he disagreed with President Donald Trump’s call to crack down on liberal groups in the wake of Kirk’s assassination.
“I don’t want the government deciding what is legitimate speech or not. I just don’t,” Hawley said.
BREAKING: FCC Chair Brendan Carr announces the commission may launch an investigation into ‘The View’ following Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension:
“I think it’s worthwhile to have the FCC look into The View.”
pic.twitter.com/MB03D0CWDt— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) September 18, 2025
ABC announced Wednesday it is indefinitely suspending “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” after the host’s remarks about the Kirk murder sparked national backlash. The decision followed Nexstar Media Group’s move to drop the show from its ABC affiliates, with the company calling Kimmel’s comments “offensive and insensitive.”
Disney executives Bob Iger and Dana Walden ultimately pulled the plug after learning Kimmel intended to double down in a follow-up monologue. The suspension capped days of mounting conservative criticism and internal concern that his remarks risked deepening the tensions.
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