What did Charlie Kirk say about Jimmy Kimmel? Alleged 2017 tweet goes viral after ABC suspends late night host

The aftermath of Jimmy Kimmel's remarks about Charlie Kirk's purported assassin, Tyler Robinson, is continuing to make waves in the world of politics, media, and entertainment.

After ABC suspended Kimmel Live indefinitely, a 2017 tweet from Kirk roasting the host has gone viral and many conservatives are referring to it as poetic justice.

As the uproar unfolded, a previous tweet from Charlie Kirk began making the rounds on X. On October 6, 2017, Kirk posted a statement which read:

"Jimmy Kimmel isn’t funny."

GROK CONFIRMS CHARLIE KIRK’S VIRAL JAB AT JIMMY KIMMEL
According to GROK — the self-styled curator and keeper of all things X — the post is real. With its direct connection to X (formerly Twitter), GROK scans the archives, verifies posts, and pulls receipts.

Here’s what GROK had… pic.twitter.com/IP2gqYmGBj

— Mike Carter (@Vote4Carter) September 18, 2025

Grok, an archive service affiliated with X, verified the post, which had seen renewed traction with over 62,000 likes and 13,000 reposts. Many users on the internet viewed the recirculated tweet as prescient, linking Kirk’s previous disdain for Kimmel a few years ago to the problems of the host now.

On September 18, ABC declared that Jimmy Kimmel Live! would be "pre-empted indefinitely” in light of professional and public outcry over Jimmy Kimmel’s segment covering Kirk’s assassin.

Kimmel made comments earlier this week that accused conservatives of trying to make a political statement about the murder, describing Robinson as “one of them” and belittling President Donald Trump’s responses to the loss of his friend.

"We had some new lows over the weekend, with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them, and doing everything they can to score political points from it," Jimmy Kimmel said.

Political reactions and Donald Trump’s response to Jimmy Kimmel's suspension

President Donald Trump, who has had a tumultuous relationship with late-night hosts such as Jimmy Kimmel, cheered ABC’s official decision.

On Truth Social, Trump called the suspension “great news for America,” calling Kimmel a “ratings challenged” and “cancelled” show. He called other late-night hosts, like NBC’s Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers, “two total losers.”

"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," Trump added.

🚨OFFICIAL: JIMMY KIMMEL CANCELED

Here’s the clip about Charlie Kirks death — that led to Jimmy Kimmel being pulled from 32 ABC stations: pic.twitter.com/wtbE6945nY

— Jeremy Kamali (@JeremyKamali) September 17, 2025

Kimmel, on the other hand, has not made any sort of public statement since departing his studio in Los Angeles on Wednesday night.

Backers outside the studio were holding small demonstrations against the suspension, which they described as censorship and a violation of free speech.

According to the BBC, Hollywood unions, including the Writers Guild of America, & SAG-AFTRA, condemned the suspension as a dangerous precedent for political influence on broadcast programs.

Kirk's tweet from 2017 resurfaced this week to show how prior comments can resurface at the time of political controversy.

What had been a mild jab at a comedian is now framed as symbolic vindication for Kirk's supporters after Kirk's death and during the backlash against Kimmel.

While ABC has not stated whether Jimmy Kimmel would return, both Kimmel and Kirk's earlier tweet are the subjects of an ongoing discussion on free speech, political division, and the cultural power of comedy.