President Donald Trump suggested that overwhelming negative coverage of him could result in television networks could result in their broadcast licenses being revoked by the Federal Communications Commission while speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Thursday (September 18).

Trump, who was departing from the visit to the United Kingdom, was defending FCC chairman Brendan Carr, who he appointed, for pressuring ABC to suspend Jimmy Kimmel's talk show, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, "indefinitely" on Wednesday (September 17).

“They're 97% against ‒ they give me only bad publicity or press," Trump said via USA TODAY. "I mean, they’re getting a license. I would think maybe their license should be taken away. It will be up to Brendan Carr.”

Kimmel's comments about the suspect in the murder of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk reportedly threatened to derail Nexstar's $6.2 billion takeover of rival broadcaster Tegna, telecom insiders told the New York Post's On The Money Thursday (September 18). The deal, which had already faced backlash for combining two of the United States' largest local television stations, is pending approval by the Federal Communications Commission and its conservative chairman, Brendan Carr, over possible antitrust issues.

The telecom insiders claimed Kimmel's comments reportedly factored negatively into the pending approval, which led to Nexstar's decision to pull his show, On The Money reports. Kimmel was spotted outside El Capitan Entertainment Centre in Los Angeles shortly after being notified of his ousting as seen in video footage shared by NBC 4 Los Angeles.

The longtime ABC host appeared to be downcast while standing around the back alley of the studio where his talk show had taped for broadcast in photos obtained by the New York Post. Kimmel criticized Republicans' response to Kirk's killing during his monologue Monday (September 15) night.

“We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang trying to characterize this kid who killed Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them, and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said via the New York Post.

Nextstar Media Group, which serves as a primary affiliate to ABC, confirmed its plans to "preempt" Jimmy Kimmel Live! following the hosts' remarks. President Donald Trump, a longtime target of Kimmel's critical humor, celebrated the decision and called for similar action to be taken against NBC's Jimmy Fallon of The Tonight Show and Seth Meyers of Late Night.

"Great News for America: The ratings challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is CANCELLED. Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done. Kimmel has ZERO talent, and worse ratings than even Colbert, if that’s possible. That leaves Jimmy and Seth, two total losers, on Fake News NBC. Their ratings are also horrible. Do it NBC!!! President DJT," Trump wrote on his Truth Social account.

Armstrong & Getty