The killing of Charlie Kirk: the firings and fights over speech after it

The biggest fight was over Jimmy Kimmel. After his monologue saying "the MAGA gang" was trying to characterize Kirk's killer as not one of their own,^[14] Nexstar said its ABC stations would preempt his show indefinitely,^[15] Sinclair followed,^[16] and ABC took "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" off the air.^[3] Other comedians and Democrats objected,^[17][18] and Kimmel returned on September 23.^[19] Erika Kirk later said she did not need an apology from him.^[20] Apple TV+ also delayed the release of a Jessica Chastain series.^[21]

In 2026, courts and settlements began to weigh the firings. A Tennessee college professor received a $500,000 settlement,^[22] Florida agreed to pay a former state wildlife employee nearly half a million dollars,^[23] an Indiana university worker won $225,000,^[24] and a University of Tennessee professor who called Kirk a "disgusting psychopath" reached a tentative $1.9 million settlement.^[5] An arbitrator ordered the Washington Post to rehire Attiah.^[6] Around the anniversary of the killing, new disputes broke out over campus posts and faculty emails.^[25][26] In November, Dave Chappelle drew backlash for jokes about Kirk's killing during a set at Madison Square Garden, and Erika Kirk called the jokes by Chappelle and others "beyond disgusting."^[27][28] The podcaster Jennifer Welch lost sponsors after laughing at a joke about Kirk, and her podcast apologized.^[29] Attiah said she would not return to the Post despite the arbitrator's ruling.^[7] The response to Kirk's death and his legacy are followed separately.