Jimmy Kimmel Interviewed Candidate Trump on ABC: Now He Says FCC Pressure Is Keeping James Talarico Off Air

Jimmy Kimmel says concerns about Federal Communications Commission (FCC) scrutiny are behind the decision not to broadcast his interview with Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico on ABC, with the conversation instead set to appear online.

Kimmel linked the decision to what he described as pressure on broadcasters over political programming and candidate appearances. His comments come amid a wider dispute between ABC and the FCC over broadcast licences, editorial independence and the application of federal equal-time rules.

Importantly, there is no indication that the FCC issued an order specifically prohibiting ABC from airing Kimmel's Talarico interview.

Kimmel Says FCC Scrutiny Changed the Decision

Kimmel said his interview with Talarico would be made available on YouTube rather than broadcast on ABC.

He argued that broadcasters are facing increased regulatory pressure over what he described as ordinary editorial decisions and political guest bookings.

That is Kimmel's characterisation of the situation. The FCC has not publicly announced a specific ban on the interview, and the decision to move it online should not be described as a direct FCC order.

The distinction matters because ABC and the regulator are already engaged in a broader legal dispute over the commission's scrutiny of the network.

Talarico Has Already Been Part of an FCC Dispute

Talarico's television appearances have previously attracted regulatory attention.

Earlier this year, the FCC scrutinised the airing of a Talarico interview on The View as part of questions surrounding federal equal-opportunity requirements for political candidates.

ABC has argued that The View qualifies for a longstanding exemption applicable to bona fide news interviews. The FCC's scrutiny, however, has included questions about the programme's treatment of candidate appearances.

The disagreement remains contested, meaning neither ABC's interpretation nor allegations that the FCC is improperly interfering with editorial decisions should be presented as settled fact.

ABC and FCC Are Fighting Over Station Licences

The controversy comes as ABC parent Disney challenges the FCC's early review of licences held by eight ABC-owned television stations.

The FCC formally ordered the early renewal process in April, and Disney subsequently filed the required applications. Disney later sued, alleging that the government's actions amount to retaliation and threaten its First Amendment rights.

The FCC disputes those allegations. It says the review is a legitimate regulatory process involving issues including alleged unlawful discrimination and whether stations are meeting their public-interest obligations. The commission has asked a federal judge to dismiss Disney's lawsuit.

No court has established that the FCC's actions constitute political retaliation.

Trump Previously Appeared on Kimmel as a Candidate

Kimmel's argument carries an additional historical contrast because Trump himself appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! while seeking the Republican presidential nomination in 2015.

Kimmel has pointed to his history of interviewing political candidates while arguing that such appearances were previously a routine part of late-night television.

Now, he says concerns surrounding FCC scrutiny have changed the calculation for broadcasters.

Talarico has not been prevented from being interviewed altogether. The conversation can still be distributed online, where broadcast-specific FCC requirements do not apply in the same way.

The episode therefore highlights a broader dispute over political interviews on broadcast television rather than an established government ban on Talarico.

For Kimmel, however, moving the interview online illustrates what he believes is a changed environment for political programming on traditional television.