“Their intent is to scare us into silence”: The view hosts call out Trump administration for suspending Jimmy Kimmel and raising FCC concerns

Jimmy Kimmel is at the center of a free-speech fight that The View put on record on Monday, September 22, 2025. The hosts said the Jimmy Kimmel suspension saga is about government pressure on speech, not a routine network dispute. Moderator Whoopi Goldberg told viewers “no one silences us,” and explained the panel waited to see if Jimmy Kimmel would speak first. As per The View episode dated September 22, 2025, Ana Navarro remarked,

“At first they come for the people with big platforms, they silence the press. But then they come for all of us, because their intent is to scare us into silence and self-censorship.”

Sunny Hostin framed the First Amendment stakes, Alyssa Farah Griffin warned conservatives about precedent if power flips, and Sara Haines backed the free-speech view.

Context for readers: ABC pulled Jimmy Kimmel Live! on September 17, 2025. The FCC chair floated scrutiny of The View. Donald Trump blasted ABC as Jimmy Kimmel returned on September 23, 2025, and big affiliate groups kept preempting the show even after the network brought it back. Jimmy Kimmel addressed free speech on air that night.

What The View actually said on September 22, 2025(hosts, quotes, and the “silence” line)

The September 22, 2025, table featured Whoopi Goldberg, Ana Navarro, Sunny Hostin, Alyssa Farah Griffin, and Sara Haines. The segment airs weekdays at 11 a.m. ET. The conversation framed Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension as a test of government pressure on broadcasters and of how shows like The View respond. Goldberg opened with a direct claim that viewers should hear:

“I mean, look, did y'all really think we were not gonna talk about Jimmy Kimmel? I mean, have you watched the show over the last 29 seasons? You know, no one silences us,”

Hostin outlined the legal spine, stressing that criticism of the government is protected speech and that broadcasters should not face state pressure for editorial choices. Griffin added a prudential warning for conservatives: a censorship tool used today can be used against them tomorrow. The panel agreed the stakes reach beyond Jimmy Kimmel or a single network decision. Ana Navarro started with a personal story in the episode, stating,

“I have to tell you this, I lived through a right-wing dictatorship in Nicaragua... I lived through a left-wing dictatorship... This is what dictators and authoritarians do, it does not matter the ideology,”

She further added,

"At first they come for the people with big platforms, they silence the press. But then they come for all of us, because their intent is to scare us into silence and self-censorship."

Navarro felt that there was some sort of bullying situation in the whole "Kimmel cancellation by MAGA" fiasco, stating,

"A bully always comes back for more,...They need to stand up and we need to demand the same from ourselves."

Together, these remarks explain why the hosts treated Jimmy Kimmel’s case as a First-Amendment-adjacent fight. They also show why Jimmy Kimmel became the focal point for a broader media-and-politics clash that The View chose to confront on air.

How we got here: timeline, Trump’s post, FCC heat, and Jimmy Kimmel’s on-air return

September 17, 2025: ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live! after remarks tied to Charlie Kirk’s killing. Large affiliate groups began preemptions.

September 18-22, 2025: FCC chair Brendan Carr publicly praised affiliates dropping the show and raised “look into” talk about whether The View qualifies under equal-time rules. Civil-liberties groups criticized the posture as government jawboning.

September 22, 2025: The View addressed the issue on air.

September 22, 2025 (network statement): As per the EW report dated September 22, 2025, Disney issued a statement,

"Last Wednesday, we made the decision to suspend production on the show to avoid further inflaming a tense situation at an emotional moment for our country,"

Further adding,

"It is a decision we made because we felt some of the comments were ill-timed and thus insensitive. We have spent the last days having thoughtful conversations with Jimmy, and after those conversations, we reached the decision to return the show on Tuesday."

September 23, 2025: Jimmy Kimmel returned with a free-speech defense. Nexstar and Sinclair still preempted his show in many markets. As per a Truth Social post dated September 24, 2025, Donald Trump stated that ABC airs “99%… Democrat GARBAGE” and warned, “I think we’re going to test ABC.”

The bottom line for readers is clear: Jimmy Kimmel came back to air, but distribution remained uneven due to ongoing affiliate decisions.

How coverage split: Democratic leaning press vs. MAGA media, and why that matters

Coverage aligned along two frames that matter to viewers, tracking Jimmy Kimmel and the broader climate. Mainstream and entertainment outlets emphasized First Amendment stakes and government pressure, often foregrounding The View’s “no one silences us” message and Jimmy Kimmel’s monologue about speaking out. Conservative media prioritised perceived ABC bias and questioned why The View did not criticize its own network more directly, while downplaying “jawboning” concerns. Both frames shaped how audiences interpreted Jimmy Kimmel’s return and the affiliate preemptions that followed.

Stay tuned for more updates.