Zohran Mamdani to Cancel ABC Town Hall in Protest of Jimmy Kimmel Suspension: Report

AP Photo/Heather Khalifa

New York City mayoral favorite Zohran Mamdani (D) has canceled an ABC town hall in response to the network’s suspension of Jimmy Kimmel.

Kimmel was suspended last week following comments he made about the killing of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk. The host implied during an opening monologue on Jimmy Kimmel Live! that Kirk’s alleged killer — 22-year-old Tyler Robinson — was a MAGA supporter and that the right was trying to score political points by characterize him as someone from the left. ABC faced threats from President Donald Trump’s FCC, and shortly after that, Kimmel’s suspension was announced. It is still unknown when or if Kimmel will return to the airwaves.

On Monday morning, amNewYork was the first to report on Mamdani’s decision to cancel his appearance at a WABC town hall. The event was scheduled for Thursday, and Mamdani confirmed the move was a direct response to Kimmel’s suspension:

Mamdani, his campaign exclusively told amNewYork ahead of the announcement, is making the move in defense of freedom of speech rights, which he says are under attack by President Trump. He is bowing out of the ABC event specifically because the network shelved Kimmel’s show following threats from the Federal Communications Commission over comments the comedian made last week about the assassination of conservative figure Charlie Kirk.

“We simply cannot accept any capitulation to Donald Trump’s attacks on our fundamental freedoms,” Mamdani said. “Now is the time for leadership that fights back with action, and collectively, we must use every tool at our disposal to send a message to Washington and corporate powers alike: our freedom to speech is not a bargaining chip.”

As noted by amNewYork, promotions for the town hall were set to begin last week. Kimmel’s suspension, however, led to an abrupt change of plans.