Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel is set to return to the air amid controversy, as two ABC affiliates, Sinclair and Nexstar, announced they would not broadcast his show.
Jimmy Kimmel will be back on ABC tonight — but not in every market.With Sinclair refusing to air Kimmel’s show on its ABC-affiliated stations, and Nexstar continuing to preempt the late-night show, this free speech tug-of-war is far from over: https://cnn.it/46u0968
The decision follows the show’s cancellation last week, after Kimmel’s remarks about Trump and Republican reactions to Charlie Kirk’s death and his killer prompted a stern warning from FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, who said on the Benny Johnson podcast on September 17, «We can do this the easy way or the hard way. These companies can find ways to change conduct and take action, frankly, on Kimmel, or there is going to be additional work for the FCC ahead,» calling Kimmel’s comments «some of the sickest conduct possible.»
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Carr’s comments set off a wave of outrage across the political spectrum, sparking protests from both Democrats and Republicans.
Jimmy Kimmel Live! will return, but…
ABC announced that Jimmy Kimmel Live! will return to air on September 23, 2025, a little more than a week after the show was abruptly pulled from the schedule on September 17.
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The network’s decision comes after intense backlash, with many viewers threatening to cancel their Disney+ and Hulu subscriptions in protest, joined by artists and entertainment figures who denounced the move as an attack on free expression.
In its statement, ABC said it was «committed to supporting free expression and ensuring that our late-night programming remains a space for creativity and diverse perspectives.»
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The announcement sparked relief and excitement among fans, many of whom are eagerly awaiting Kimmel’s first monologue back on air.
The host himself has not issued any public comment since the controversy began, leaving his return remarks highly anticipated.
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Two major station groups keep Kimmel off the air
According to the New York Times, two major station groups, Nexstar and Sinclair, which together control more than 20 percent of ABC’s local affiliates, announced they would not carry Jimmy Kimmel Live! for now.
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Nexstar said it would pre-empt the show indefinitely without offering any justification, while Sinclair stated it required further «discussions with ABC» before resuming broadcasts and would air news programming in the meantime.
Breaking News: Nexstar and Sinclair, which control over 20% of ABC affiliates, will not broadcast Jimmy Kimmel’s TV return tonight.
President Donald Trump, alongside his Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., made a major announcement about an alleged link between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and autism.
Trump announced that the FDA will be notifying physicians that use of acetaminophen during pregnancy "can be associated with a very increased risk of autism."However, experts say autism is caused by multiple factors, and the science concerning that connection is not settled. https://cnn.it/4gxLCe6
The statement quickly drew public and media attention.
Fight like hell not to take it.
-Donald Trump
However, numerous health experts and medical authorities, including the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and the WHO (World Health Organization), have already spoken out to dispute the claims made in this announcement.
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Donald Trump delivered stark warnings about the use of acetaminophen (Tylenol) during pregnancy, claiming it could be linked to autism in children. Trump repeatedly told women to avoid the medication unless absolutely necessary.
«This is my view. People need to know».
«Don’t take Tylenol. Don’t take it», Trump said, before adding, «Fight like hell not to take it.»
«The only time a pregnant woman should ever take Tylenol is if she has a very bad fever», he declared.
Trump also announced that the Food and Drug Administration would move to update product labels, saying they would soon state that prenatal acetaminophen use «can be associated with a very increased risk of autism and ADHD».
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Trump stated that his remarks reflected his personal opinion on the matter, adding:
«This is my view. People need to know».
RFK Jr. Points to Studies Linking Tylenol, Autism
During the announcement at the White House, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. expanded on President Trump’s warning by invoking scientific studies that he claimed support a possible link between acetaminophen use in pregnancy and autism.
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Kennedy referred to large cohort studies such as the Nurses’ Health Study II and the Boston Birth Cohort, which reported associations between prenatal exposure to acetaminophen and a higher incidence of neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism and ADHD. He stressed that the risk appeared stronger in cases of chronic use during pregnancy.
Kennedy further argued that environmental exposures, such as medications taken in utero, may be contributing to what he called an «autism epidemic».
He also highlighted research into folate metabolism, suggesting that deficiencies could worsen outcomes and that leucovorin (folinic acid) shows promise as a therapeutic option in certain cases of children with autism.
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While acknowledging that more research is needed, Kennedy framed these findings as a wake-up call to reconsider long-standing assumptions about acetaminophen’s safety in pregnancy.
FDA: No Proven Link
A few hours after Trump’s announcement, the FDA published a statement on its website saying it had begun the process of updating acetaminophen product labels to include a warning about a possible link to autism and ADHD when used during pregnancy. At the same time, the agency sent a letter to physicians to inform them of these signals.
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The FDA nevertheless emphasized that no scientific evidence demonstrates a causal link between prenatal acetaminophen use and autism.
The agency noted that while some studies report associations, they also contain significant contradictions. It further stressed that acetaminophen remains the only over-the-counter medication recommended for treating fever during pregnancy, as fever itself can pose risks to the fetus.
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While moving forward with label revisions and informing physicians, the FDA urged cautious use: avoiding frequent or prolonged intake, but continuing to use the drug when necessary under medical supervision.
«The evidence on a link between paracetamol use in pregnancy and autism is inconsistent.»
WHO: Evidence Remains Inconsistent
At a press briefing in Geneva, reported by Reuters, a WHO spokesperson commented on the debate surrounding acetaminophen use during pregnancy, emphasizing that the available research remains inconclusive.
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WHO stated that «The evidence on a link between paracetamol use in pregnancy and autism is inconsistent», highlighting the absence of scientific consensus.
The Autism Science Foundation: any association rests on limited and inconsistent science
The Autism Science Foundation issued a statement on September 5, ahead of Trump and RFK Jr.’s announcement, cautioning against claims linking acetaminophen use in pregnancy to autism.
The foundation stressed that: «Any association between acetaminophen and autism is based on limited, conflicting, and inconsistent science and is premature given the current science».
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It emphasized that autism arises from a complex interplay of genetic and environmental factors, warning that it is misleading to attribute the condition to a single exposure.
Pregnant people should not be afraid to take Tylenol, experts say, rebuking unproven claims made by the Trump administration that it can cause autism. https://cnn.it/46xN3EZ
