WASHINGTON — Former President Barack Obama has sharply criticized the Trump administration, accusing it of elevating what he calls “cancel culture” to “a new and dangerous level,” after ABC suspended its late‑night host Jimmy Kimmel’s show indefinitely. The move came in response to Kimmel’s comments about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, during which he allegedly misled audiences regarding the political leanings of Kirk’s assailant.

The controversy began this week when FCC Chairman Brendan Carr warned media companies that they could expect regulatory consequences for crossing the line. Carr made the remark during an interview with conservative commentator Benny Johnson, stating, “We can do this the easy way or the hard way. These companies can find ways to change conduct, to take action, frankly, on Kimmel, or, you know, there’s going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.” Hours after that warning, Nexstar, a major broadcaster owning many ABC affiliates, said it would no longer carry Jimmy Kimmel Live! on its stations. Shortly thereafter, ABC officially put the show on hold indefinitely.

Critics of the suspension warn that Carr’s threats represent a troubling overreach of government power that could chill dissent and violate fundamental First Amendment protections. Supporters, by contrast, insist the network’s decision was rooted not in coercion but in holding commentators accountable for misinformation and irresponsible commentary.

On Thursday, Obama positioned himself firmly among those who believe the Trump administration’s actions cross constitutional lines. In a post on X , Obama wrote: “After years of complaining about cancel culture, the current administration has taken it to a new and dangerous level by routinely threatening regulatory action against media companies unless they muzzle or fire reporters and commentators it doesn’t like.” He linked to a Vox article exploring the fallout from Kimmel’s suspension.

In a follow‑up message, Obama posted: “This is precisely the kind of government coercion that the First Amendment was designed to prevent — and media companies need to start standing up rather than capitulating to it.” He also shared a New York Times story concerning Karen Attiah, a former Washington Post opinion columnist, who was let go after misquoting Kirk in the wake of his death. The record shows there is no evidence the federal government was involved in her dismissal.

The inconsistent reporting around Attiah also figured in the dispute: while Attiah falsely attributed to Kirk the phrase “Black women do not have the brain processing power to be taken seriously,” her defenders argue her only direct reference to Kirk was quoting him—and that the misquoted phrase was not from her own writing. To be clear, she took what he said out of context and changed the meaning of it completely. Kirk was talking about four very specific Black women, and he was making a specific point. She and others make it seem as if he was talking about Black women in general and they do so on purpose.

Meanwhile, FCC Chair Brendan Carr did not back down. He characterized Kimmel’s comments as misleading, saying the comedian “appeared to directly mislead the American public about a significant fact” when Kimmel claimed the shooter was part of “MAGA gang” rhetoric. Court documents, Carr points out, indicate the accused shooter, Tyler Robinson, held more progressive political views, including pro‑LGBTQ positions.