Jimmy Kimmel made a triumphant return to ABC’s late-night stage Tuesday night, turning what could have been a tense comeback into a fiery defence of comedy, journalism, and the First Amendment.

After being temporarily pulled off the air following controversy over his remarks about deceased Conservative activist Charlie Kirk, Kimmel opened with a pointed message to US President Donald Trump for trying to silence him.

“You almost have to feel sorry for him. He tried, did his best to cancel me. Instead, he forced millions of people to watch the show. That backfired bigly,” Kimmel said, setting the tone for a monologue that wove humor, satire and an urgent commentary on press freedom.

Trump's pressure and free speech concerns

Kimmel directly addressed the pressure he says came from former President Donald Trump.

“The president of the United States made it very clear he wants to see me and the hundreds of people who work here fired from our jobs. Our leader celebrates Americans losing their livelihoods because he can’t take a joke,” Kimmel said, framing the attempt to remove him from the air as part of a broader attack on free speech.

He described how the controversy affected not just himself but other late-night hosts, referencing the forced exit of Stephen Colbert from CBS.

“He was somehow able to squeeze Cole Bear out of CBS. Denny turned his sights on me and now he’s openly rooting for NBC to fire Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers and the hundreds of Americans who work for their shows who don’t make millions of dollars,” Kimmel said.

Solidarity across the political spectrum

Despite the heated political context, Kimmel thanked those across the political spectrum who defended his right to free expression.

“Even though I don’t agree with many of those people on most subjects… it takes courage for them to speak out against this administration, and they did, and they deserve credit for it,” he said.

He specifically cited figures including Ted Cruz, Ben Shapiro, and Candace Owens, noting Cruz’s acknowledgment of the dangers of government interference in media.

“If the government gets in the business of saying can’t say what you… that will end up bad for conservatives. I don’t think I’ve ever said this before, but Ted Cruz is right. He’s absolutely right. This affects all of us, including him.”

Kimmel emphasized that the controversy was never about politics or comedy at its core, but about ensuring Americans maintain the freedom to speak and laugh.

“If we don’t have free speech, then we just don’t have a free country. It’s as simple as that. If this most fundamental right is allowed to perish, then the rest of our rights and liberties will topple just like dominoes. One by one, they’ll go down,” he said.

On threats, comedy, and journalists

Kimmel also spoke about the personal threats he receives due to his work.

“I get many ugly and scary threats against my life, my wife, my kids, my co-workers because of what I choose to say. And I know those threats don’t come from the kind of people on the right who I know and love,” he said, stressing the distinction between personal attacks and broader political censorship.

He linked the attacks on comedy to a wider risk for journalism, pointing to restrictions being imposed on Pentagon press credentials: “It’s not just comedy. He’s gunning for our journalists, too. He’s suing them. He’s bullying them… They want to pick and choose what the news is. I know that’s not as interesting as muzzling a comedian, but it is so important to have a free press, and it is nuts that we aren’t paying more attention to it.”

Teasing Epstein files

In a moment of sharp humor, Kimmel hinted at the sensational side of public interest, saying, “he forced millions of people to watch the show. That backfired bigly. He might have to release the Epstein files to distract us from this.”

Throughout the monologue, Kimmel acknowledged the overwhelming public response during his brief removal from the air.

“Your support has made a huge difference. Millions of people reached out, shared messages, and made it clear that free speech matters. It has been overwhelming in the best way possible,” he said. He also recognized the support of colleagues across late-night television, from John Stewart and Seth Meyers to international hosts from Ireland and Germany.

Kimmel concluded his monologue by reminding viewers of the larger stakes.

“Let’s not let fear of disagreement or discomfort silence us. Let’s continue to speak, to laugh, and to push the boundaries respectfully. That’s how we grow as a society,” he said.