Show Pulled From Streaming Service Following Trump AllyS Criticism, Sparking Free Speech Debate
LOS ANGELES – A show featuring comedian jimmy Kimmel was removed from a streaming service after conservative activist Charlie Kirk publicly criticized the programme, igniting a national debate over censorship and the First Amendment. The show, originally available on X (formerly Twitter), was pulled by the platform following a demand from California Attorney General Rob Bonta, prompted by Kirk’s complaint.
The controversy centers on a segment from Kimmel’s show that Kirk deemed defamatory.Bonta’s office argued the segment violated California law prohibiting false light invasion of privacy, and afterward requested X remove the content. After X complied, the show was entirely removed from the platform.
The move drew swift condemnation from democratic lawmakers. House Minority Leader Hakeem jeffries of New York, along with Representatives Katherine Clark of Massachusetts, Pete Aguilar and Ted Lieu of California, Joe Neguse of Colorado and Suzan DelBene of Washington, released a statement accusing the Trump governance of leveraging regulatory pressure to silence dissenting voices, and characterizing the action as “forcing the company to bend the knee to the Trump administration.” They further stated the situation represents “a war on the First Amendment is blatantly inconsistent with American values.”
Former President Barack Obama echoed these concerns, stating the Trump administration “has taken it to a new and hazardous level by routinely threatening regulatory action against media companies unless they muzzle or fire reporters and commentators it doesn’t like.”
Journalist Don Lemon expressed alarm, writing on Threads that the cancellation “should send a chill down everyone’s spine in America,” and adding, “This is a very dangerous and scary moment for America.”
Representative Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, asserted on X that “the first amendment is out the window” after Kimmel “hurt MAGA’s feelings by holding a mirror up.” She also criticized conservative media for selectively focusing on certain recent killings. senator Cory Booker,D-N.J., shared the text of the First Amendment on Instagram. MSNBC host Chris Hayes described the situation on X as “the most straightforward attack on free speech from state actors I’ve ever seen in my life and it’s not even close.”
California Governor Gavin Newsom, a democrat, responded by highlighting past social media posts from Attorney General Bonta championing free speech, posting on X, “This aged well,” alongside a screenshot of one such post. Several of Bonta’s previous social media posts supporting First Amendment rights resurfaced Thursday, drawing criticism.
