More than 100 former ABC News journalists urged Disney CEO Bob Iger in a letter to “defend free speech” against President Trump’s attacks after the network briefly pulled Jimmy Kimmel off-air, according to a report.
The letter was first drafted last week after ABC suspended Kimmel “indefinitely” for implying that Charlie Kirk’s killer might have been a MAGA conservative.
Signees including ex-correspondents like Sam Donaldson and Judy Muller, and Kaycee Freed Jennings, widow of ABC anchor Peter Jennings, called for “a concerted effort to defend free speech and press freedom against political intimidation,” according to CNN.
ABC did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.
The former journalists praised Iger’s decision to bring Kimmel back, after the late-night host returned to “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” on Tuesday – though he failed to apologize for his remarks.
His return was “an important statement that political intimidation should not dictate ABC’s programming,” but “it must be just the first step,” the ex-correspondents continued.
“Disney has both the responsibility and the opportunity to lead by standing firmly against capitulation and in defense of democratic values,” the group of journalists – led by former correspondent Lisa Stark and former executive producer Ian Cameron – added.
ABC’s suspension of Kimmel last week came just a few hours after FCC Chair Brendan Carr warned the network and Disney that “we can do this the easy or the hard way.”
Nexstar and Sinclair – which own over 60 ABC affiliates combined – also quickly yanked Kimmel’s show off the air. Nexstar is currently seeking FCC approval for its $6.2 billion acquisition of Tegna.
Last December, ABC agreed to pay $15 million toward Trump’s presidential library to settle a defamation suit over anchor George Stephanopoulos’ false on-air claim that Trump had been found civilly liable for raping E. Jean Carroll.
The former ABC journalists argued that the multimillion-dollar settlement only encouraged Trump to escalate his attacks on the media.
“The First Amendment is not negotiable,” the letter said. “ABC’s credibility and Disney’s reputation depend on unwavering leadership in its defense.”
“We understand that Disney and other networks are under enormous political and economic pressure, but this is a moment where Bob Iger and others must not waver in protecting the free press and their journalists.”
During his return monologue on Tuesday, Kimmel urged viewers to speak out against Trump, calling the president a “bully.”
“He’s not stopping. And it’s not just comedy,” Kimmel said. “He’s gunning for our journalists, too. He’s suing them, he’s bullying them.”
Shortly before Kimmel’s show on Tuesday, Trump – who had cheered Kimmel’s suspension – wrote in a post on Truth Social: “I can’t believe ABC Fake News gave Jimmy Kimmel his job back. The White House was told by ABC that his Show was cancelled!”
He also accused the network of an illegal campaign contribution, calling Kimmel an “arm of the DNC.”
ABC News journalists have covered the Kimmel-Carr drama, and most recently the White House’s new media restrictions for journalists covering the Department of Defense.
The new rules require reporters to sign a pledge not to report on any information that has not been authorized for release.
The Pentagon is threatening to revoke press credentials from journalists who do not follow the new rules.
“That’s a policy you might expect to see in China, Russia, or North Korea, but not in the United States,” ABC News’ chief Washington correspondent Jon Karl said Sunday.
He said it is the latest in a “series of steps by the federal government to silence voices seen as critical of President Trump.”
Carr has denied that his calls for ABC to take action against Kimmel were linked to the comedian’s notorious anti-Trump politics.
He argued that ABC has an obligation to serve the public interest because of its TV license, and Kimmel failed to do so by “appearing to directly mislead the American public.”
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