Donald Trump takes aim at “radical left” and Jimmy Kimmel during Charlie Kirk memorial speech

Donald Trump paid tribute to Charlie Kirk at the late right-wing activist’s memorial service, using his speech to take aim at his political opponents and lambast the backlash against the cancellation of Jimmy Kimmel Live.

Sunday’s (September 21) service in Glendale’s State Farm Stadium saw Trump posthumously award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom, with he and fellow guest speakers – who included the likes of Vice President JD Vance, Marco Rubio and Tulsi Gabbard – delivering speeches from behind panes of bulletproof glass.

In a politically-charged speech, Trump railed against his opponents, highlighting one key difference between him and the late Kirk. “He did not hate his opponents,” the US President said yesterday. “He wanted the best for them. That’s where I disagreed with Charlie.

“I hate my opponents and I don’t want the best for them.” This has been evident in his reaction to the cancellation of Kimmel’s show, which was pulled from the ABC Network, which is owned by Disney, in the wake of comments he made about Kirk on air.

HOLY CRAP! President Trump just CALLED OUT the Left for their disgusting hypocrisy.

"The same commentators who are screaming 'FASCISM' over a canceled late-night TV show, where the anchor had no talent and no ratings [Kimmel], were implying Charlie Kirk DESERVED what happened… pic.twitter.com/O6oDawtPBX

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) September 21, 2025

PRESIDENT TRUMP: “I call it the radical left. Sometimes I say radical left lunatics. But Charlie didn't say that, he called it the left.

He was probably right, but I can't help it.” pic.twitter.com/36vc5JvIZ7

— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) September 21, 2025

Kimmel had suggested that all signs pointed to Kirk’s shooter being a Trump supporter, and said “the MAGA gang [were] trying to characterise this kid who killed Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them, and doing everything they can to score political points from it.”

Trump appeared to reference the now axed show in his speech, which touched on the “nasty” political violence coming from “radical left” and their “allies” in the media. “Some of the very people who call you a hater for using the wrong pronoun, were filled with glee at the killing of a father with two beautiful young children,” Trump said, per Deadline.

“The same commentators who this week are screaming fascism over a cancelled late-night TV show, where the anchor had no talent and no ratings, last week were implying that Charlie Kirk deserved what happened to him,” Trump continued.

“There’s one part of our political community who believes they have a monopoly of truth, goodness and virtue, and concludes they have also a monopoly on power, thought and speech. Well – that’s not happening anymore. We’ve turned that corner very quickly.”

Almost all of Hollywood’s prominent creative guilds have condemned the decision to cancel Kimmel’s show, while fellow late-night legends Stephen Colbert and David Letterman have also spoken out, voicing concerns over free speech.

It is now believed that Kimmel’s business and legal representatives are in discussions with Disney and ABC executives in the hope of reaching a compromise that would allow for the return of Jimmy Kimmel Live.

Comedian and podcaster Marc Maron also criticised the suspension, saying on Instagram: “This is government censorship. This is the Trump administration coming after people who speak out against him.”

Over the weekend, John Cleese and Piers Morgan clashed over the cancellation of Jimmy Kimmel Live after Morgan questioned Kimmel being “heralded as some kind of free speech martyr”.

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