Welcome back, Jimmy Kimmel! In case you live in parts of the country that still refuse to carry the show, here you go.
(By the way, Kimmel used a clip of my former colleague, Charles Feldman, interviewing Trump. Later in that same interview, Trump walked out because he didn’t like questions Charles was asking.)
In the days after Kimmel’s suspension, Trump’s surrogates insisted the president had nothing to do with ABC’s decision. But a few hours before Kimmel’s return, Trump torpedoed that claim. He made it clear he intends to punish ABC—using government power—for putting Kimmel back on the air.
So in just a couple of days, the story shifted from “ABC canceled Kimmel because of low ratings” to “I’m suing!”
The real shift here is the energy. Trump may have finally committed the sin Democrats usually get accused of when they hold power: overreach. It took him a long time to reach the line, but now we’re at the point where the tide seems to have turned overnight—like some lunar screwup finally set right.
ABC/Disney standing up to Trump. Ted Cruz, a longtime Trump apologist, criticizing Brendan Carr’s actions. Outrage from Americans across the spectrum.
Is this a real change? Or just a false dawn? That remains to be seen.