PoliticsJ.D. Vance Would 'Love' Jimmy Kimmel to Apologize to Erika Kirk and All the 'People He Slandered' After TV Suspension: 'He Didn't Tell a Joke'
J.D. Vance said he would 'love' Jimmy Kimmel to apologize to Erika Kirk in a new interview.
Sept. 26 2025, Published 11:48 a.m. ET
J.D. Vance is calling on Jimmy Kimmel to apologize to Erika Kirk and others he “slandered” after he returned to television on September 23.
As OK! reported, Kimmel’s show was pulled off the air after comments he made about Kirk, who was shot to death on September 10.
What Did Jimmy Kimmel Say Before Getting Suspended?
Jimmy Kimmel was suspended from TV after his September 15 epsiode of his show.
During the September 15 episode of his show, he said, “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA [Make America Great Again] gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it.”
Following backlash over his comments, an ABC spokesperson said Jimmy’s show was being pulled indefinitely.
While many conservatives celebrated the move, some felt like it was censoring freedom of speech. The show ended up getting put back on the air relatively quickly.
J.D. Vance Commented on What Jimmy Kimmel Said
J.D. Vance said the TV host should 'apologize' to Erika Kirk for his comments.
In a new interview, J.D. said, “I’d love for Jimmy Kimmel to apologize to Erika and to all of the people he slandered. He tries to say that he told a joke. He didn't tell a joke. He was actually accusing right-wing America, conservative America, of killing Charlie Kirk. We now know that is false. Charlie Kirk was murdered by a left-wing assassin who was radicalized by some of the rhetoric that we see coming from the far-Left.”
"If we're going to stop this crazy strain of left-wing violence, we have to be honest about what it is, and the honest truth is that Charlie Kirk was not killed by a MAGA American. He was not killed by a Republican. He was killed by a left-wing radical. Let's be honest about that fact, so that we can stop it from happening,” J.D. added.
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What Did Jimmy Kimmel Say Upon His Return to TV?
Erika Kirk said she forgives Tyler Robinson as 'it is what Charlie would do.'
When Jimmy returned to his TV show, he addressed the situation. “It was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man," he began.
He also spoke about Erika, noting her ability to forgive her husband’s alleged killer is “an example we should all follow.”
"If you believe in the teachings of Jesus as I do, there it was. That's it, a selfless act of grace, forgiveness from a grieving widow, that touched me deeply. And I hope it touches many and if there's anything we should take from this tragedy to carry forward, I hope it can be that and not this," the late-night talk show host said.
Jimmy Kimmel Insisted Nothing Was 'Funny' About Charlie Kirk's Murder
Jimmy Kimmel gave a lengthy monologue about his prior comments.
Additionally, he claimed there wasn’t “anything funny” about Charlie’s murder.
“Nor was it my intention to blame any specific group for the actions of what was obviously a deeply disturbed individual,” he added. “That was really the opposite of the point I was trying to make, but I understand that to some that felt either ill-timed or unclear or maybe both.”
