Comedian Jimmy Kimmel returned to his late night perch on Tuesday, giving an emotional response to the backlash his comments last week on the killing of Charlie Kirk sparked and speaking out against what he said was an attempt to silence him by the Trump administration.

“Maybe most of all I want to thank the people who don’t support what I have to say but support my right to speak those beliefs anyway,” Kimmel said as he returned to the network after a weeklong suspension.

The host called out by name several prominent conservative pundits and Republican lawmakers who criticized ABC’s decision to take Kimmel off the air, a move that came after Trump’s Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chair, Brendan Car, blasted the host over his comments and suggested the host be punished by the network or its affiliates.

Kimmel last Monday accused conservatives of trying to score “political points” over Kirk’s death and joked that Trump was mourning his death “like a four year old mourns a goldfish.”

Nexstar D.C. correspondent Reshad Hudson interviewed Vice President JD Vance on Wednesday and asked him about the late-night host’s return.

“Well, I watched it in and look in some ways. It was kind of kind-hearted. On the other hand, he didn’t actually say sorry to Charlie Kirk or his family, and the reason that so many people, including me, were so upset with what Jimmy Kimmel said is that he accused Charlie Kirk’s murderer of being a MAGA or a right-wing American. It wasn’t a joke, it was straight-up disinformation and I really wish Jimmy Kimmel would apologize for it,” Vance said.

What Jimmy Kimmel said Tuesday night

“I do want to make something clear because it’s important to me as a human: And that is you understand it was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man,” Kimmel said as his voice cracked. “I don’t think there’s anything funny about it … nor was it my intention to blame any specific group [for Kirk’s killing],” he said, later calling the suspect in Kirk’s assassination “obviously a deeply disturbed individual.”

“And I understand that to some that seemed either ill-time or unclear or both … and I get why you’re upset,” the comedian continued, noting that he and his family also get threats from critics for speaking his mind on politics.

The comedian then turned his focus on the Trump administration, arguing that his suspension highlighted the importance of “living in a country that allows us to have a show like this.”

Kimmel called the effort by Trump’s FCC to get his show taken off the air “un-American” and criticized Carr directly, saying his threats to scrutinize ABC over Kimmel’s show were “unintelligent.”

“Brendan Carr is the most embarrassing Carr Republicans have embraced since this one,” Kimmel said as he displayed a picture of a cybertruck with the word TRUMP written on it. “And that’s saying something.”

The comedian’s show Tuesday was not shown on dozens of ABC stations across the country after a pair of top local news providers, Nexstar, which owns The Hill, and Sinclair, said they would continue to pre-empt his show over his comments on Kirk last week.

The comedian seemingly relished the attention his show got on Tuesday, playing for his audience a clip of Trump telling reporters Kimmel was pulled off the air because he had “no talent and no ratings.”

“Well, I do tonight,” Kimmel quipped to uproarious applause. “He tried his best to cancel me and instead 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 now.”

The comedian said he was angry at Disney, ABC’s parent company, for pulling him off the air, but also said they could have easily stuck with that decision, thanking them for ultimately “defending my right to poke fun at our leaders.”

As he closed his monologue, Kimmel referenced a speech given by Erika Kirk, Charlie Kirk’s widow, at the slain activist’s memorial service Sunday, during which she said she forgave the person charged with killing her husband.

“She forgave him, that is an example we should follow,” he said, choking up once more, saying Erika Kirk’s speech “touched me deeply.”

“And if there’s anything from this tragedy that we can take forward,” Kimmel said. “I hope it can be that, not this.”

Response to Kimmel’s monologue

Critics of Kimmel seemed unmoved by what he said.

“Not good enough,” Andrew Kolvet, Kirk’s former co-host, posted on X. “Jimmy, it’s simple. Here’s what you need to say: ‘I’m sorry for saying the shooter was MAGA. He was not. He was of the left. I apologize to the Kirk family for lying. Please accept my sincere apology. I will do better. I was wrong.’”

Commentator Megyn Kelly also decried his “self pity” in a post on X.

“You and your other Late Night Host’s and the other illiberal media’s constant propagandizing and demonizing fellow Americans as fascists and Nazis have created the atmosphere where Leftists feel that killing people who think differently is justified,” comedian Rob Schneider wrote.

Before Kimmel’s show aired, Roseanne Barr told his return showed a double standard in entertainment.

“I’ve been erased from history, from the history of feminism, which that cracks me up,” she told . “I’m never mentioned in anything about women who are pioneers in media. I’m never mentioned in anything anymore.”

Also before the show, Trump fumed on Truth Social that ABC was allowing Kimmel back.

“He is yet another arm of the DNC and, to the best of my knowledge, that would be a major Illegal Campaign Contribution,” Trump wrote. “I think we’re going to test ABC out on this. Let’s see how we do. Last time I went after them, they gave me $16 Million Dollars. This one sounds even more lucrative.”

contributed to this report.