Jimmy Kimmel forced to pull interview with James Talarico amid Trump's FCC threats

Los Angeles, California - Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel announced that an interview he conducted with Texas Senate candidate James Talarico will not air on ABC amid threats from President Donald Trump's Federal Communications Commission.

Jimmy Kimmel (r) announced that his interview with James Talarico (l) will air on YouTube as he faces pressure from the FCC. Under President Trump, the FCC has repeatedly targeted Kimmel and ABC.
Jimmy Kimmel (r) announced that his interview with James Talarico (l) will air on YouTube as he faces pressure from the FCC. Under President Trump, the FCC has repeatedly targeted Kimmel and ABC.  © Collage: Brandon Bell & KEVIN WINTER / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

During his opening monologue on Wednesday, Kimmel lamented that while he has interviewed political candidates over the more than 20 years his show has been on the air – including Trump himself – recently "something has changed."

"Now that [Trump] is president, his FCC has threatened me, threatened our show, threatened our network, ABC, our affiliates, our local stations based on simple traditional editorial decisions, guest bookings it would seem they don't like," Kimmel said.

"And so out of consideration for our local stations, especially our ABC affiliates in Texas... my interview tomorrow with James Talarico will not air on television; It will be posted on YouTube instead."

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The announcement comes as Trump has made aggressive efforts in his second term to punish news outlets and media figures that are critical of him.

Brendan Carr, the head of the FCC who has targeted Kimmel in the past, has faced accusations of using his role to further the president's agenda.

This is also not the first time Talarico, who is leading his Texas race, has faced such censorship.

In February, late-night host Stephen Colbert also had to post his interview with Talarico on YouTube after Carr threatened to enforce guidance calling for equal airtime on talk shows for all candidates in any political race.

Cover photo: Collage: Brandon Bell & KEVIN WINTER / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

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