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When announcing that it would suspend Jimmy Kimmel’s programme, network owner Nexstar Communications Group described the comedian’s remarks about Charlie Kirk’s passing as “offensive and insensitive” during a pivotal moment in US political debate.

Advocates of Donald Trump praised the move, with the White House deputy chief of staff labeling it an example of “accountability culture”.

But what precisely did Jimmy Kimmel state that angered the Maga movement?

During his start-of-the-week monologue, Kimmel implied that Kirk’s accused killer, Tyler Robinson, was possibly a conservative sympathizer.

“Maga supporters are frantically attempting to portray this individual who killed Charlie Kirk as anything but one of their own, all while capitalizing on the tragedy,” Kimmel remarked.

That particular statement is believed to have enraged Trump supporters and administration members most of all.

In an interview on Wednesday, the president-appointed head of the Federal Communications Commission suggested it seemed a “coordinated attempt to lie to the American audience.”

Brendan Carr went on to label Kimmel’s words as an effort to “fuel a theory that the perpetrator was somehow influenced by Maga or Republican views.”

Carr additionally warned that if measures were not enforced against Kimmel, there would be “additional work for the FCC in the future.”

“It’s long past the time that broadcasters announce, ‘We’re not gonna run Kimmel anymore over the possibility of fines or losing our license from the FCC,’” Carr remarked.

Lawmaker Ed Markey condemned the development as “active censorship”.

“The FCC chair warns ABC and Disney over Kimmel’s comments. Shortly after, he’s off air. It’s alarming and unconstitutional. The signal to every media organization is plain: Follow the MAGA line or the government regulator will come after you,” Markey stated.

Jimmy Kimmel additionally mentioned the reaction to Kirk’s killing on his following night programme, saying that “plenty on the right are making efforts to exploit the killing of Charlie Kirk”.

Citing vice-president JD Vance’s statement while filling in Kirk’s podcast, Kimmel suggested that “the president and his henchmen are trying hard to fan the flames, so they can I guess attack people on the liberal wing.”

Sources suggest that Kimmel was planning to address the backlash on Wednesday night’s show and contextualize how his comments had been taken out of context. Kimmel was not planning to say sorry for them.