Jimmy Kimmel is reportedly facing uncertainty over his future at ABC.
Following backlash surrounding his jokes involving Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump, ABC executives have becomes increasingly frustrated with him.
Insiders told Radar Online that Kimmel’s decision to later repeat and defend the joke only worsened tensions behind the scenes.
“The original joke was already viewed internally as reckless. Doubling down turned it into something potentially costly to the network,” the source told the outlet.
The controversy comes less than a year after Jimmy Kimmel faced criticism over his comments tied to the 2025 shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Although the late-night host publicly condemned the killing, critics accused him of politicizing the tragedy.
Kimmel remains under contract with ABC through May 2027 after signing a reported multimillion-dollar extension last year.
However, a source stated, “That was not a vote of long-term confidence. If ABC believed Jimmy was still essential, they would have locked him up for years. Instead, they bought themselves time.”
Adding, “The ratings are soft, the ad market is weak, affiliates were furious last year, and Jimmy keeps handing the network fresh ammunition.”
“He used to be a smart risk. Now he just feels like an expensive problem,” another source noted.
