Kimmel’s sudden defenestration may be a political success for Trump but it’s a dire sign for free speech in America
I
n Donald Trump’s first term as president, he tried to get the mainstream media in line but largely failed. Yes, he ranted about the enemy of the people, insulted journalists and taught his followers to hate the press. But the guardrails mostly held and the spines of media owners stayed fairly stiff.
This time, his project to keep the media on a tight leash – and therefore control the message – is going much better. At least from the point of view of a would-be authoritarian.
That was made clear this week when the broadcast network ABC abruptly pulled Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show off the air. That move followed Kimmel’s Monday night monologue in which he talked about Charlie Kirk, the far-right provocateur shot to death last week in Utah.
