Morning Report is The Hill’s a.m. newsletter. Subscribe here.
In today’s issue:
▪ Reactions to Trump’s media threat
▪ Partisan tensions reach boiling point
▪ CDC panel shifts vaccine guidance
▪ Senate Dems back Palestinian state
The fallout from Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension and President Trump’s battle with media outlets is spreading as the president suggests licenses be taken away from media outlets for overwhelmingly negative coverage.
“I read someplace that the networks were 97 percent against me. Again, 97 percent negative, and yet I won and easily won all seven swing states. The popular vote, won everything,” Trump told reporters Thursday.
“They’re 97 percent against; they give me only bad press. I mean, they’re getting a license,” he continued. “I would think maybe their license should be taken away.”
Trump’s comment’s appeared to allude to the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) fairness doctrine, abolished in 1987 in the Reagan era, which required networks with broadcast licenses to reflect different viewpoints on major issues, The Hill’s Brett Samuels reports.
The president praised FCC chair Brendan Carr as a “patriot” and “tough guy” and said the decision would ultimately be left up to him. The agency chief and Trump ally had called Kimmel’s comments “truly sick” and urged broadcasters to consider taking the comedian’s show off the air.
“It’s time for them to step up and say this garbage to the extent that that’s what comes down the pipe in the future isn’t something that we think serves the needs of our local communities,” he said earlier this week.
Kimmel was put on involuntary hiatus Wednesday following comments he made about the response to conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s death.
ABC pulled the longtime Trump critic from the air “indefinitely” after he accused the “MAGA gang” of trying to depict the suspect in Kirk’s killing, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, as “anything other than one of them.”
The governor of Utah, where the shooting took place, described the killing as political and officials revealed texts Robinson allegedly sent including one in which he said he had “enough of this hatred,” referring to Kirk.
Kimmel also accused conservatives of trying to score “political points” over Kirk’s death and joked that Trump was mourning the conservative activist as a “4-year-old mourns a goldfish.”
ABC executives made the decision to pull Kimmel’s show after the host reportedly said he was unwilling to apologize. His return to the show looks increasingly slim, The Hill’s Dominick Mastrangelo reports.
Top Democrats were quick to denounce Trump’s remarks going after critical coverage of him, which follow a number of lawsuits he has launched against news outlets this year.
“What we are witnessing is an outright abuse of power. This administration is attacking critics and using fear as a weapon to silence anyone who would speak out,” former Vice President Kamala Harris said in a post on the social media platform X.
“This is precisely the kind of government coercion that the First Amendment was designed to prevent — and media companies need to start standing up rather than capitulating to it,” former President Obama said in a post earlier Thursday.
▪ Associated Press: Kimmel suspension is latest show of Trump influence on media.
▪ The Hill: “New York Times executive editor on Trump suit: ‘He’s wrong … and we’ll win.’”
Trump has for years battled with each of the late-night hosts, and has taken Kimmel’s suspension as yet another victory following the announced cancellation of Stephen Colbert’s “The Late Show” in July.
CBS said the decision regarding Colbert was “purely financial,” but it came days after Colbert slammed CBS parent company Paramount Global for settling a $16 million lawsuit with Trump.
Trump weighed in on the Kimmel suspension during a joint press conference with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday in response to a question about free speech being under attack.
“Well, Jimmy Kimmel was fired because he had bad ratings more than anything else, and he said a horrible thing about a great gentleman known as Charlie Kirk,” he said.
Many conservatives are touting Kimmel’s removal, arguing his comments were inaccurate and insensitive and that he has vilified half the country. But some have expressed concern at the precedent being set.
“I shed zero tears for Kimmel, a smarmy partisan hack who unrepentantly peddled a conspiratorial falsehood about a political assassination on national tv. But the government pressure and meddling here is a problem,” Fox News contributor Guy Benson said in a post on X.
Some GOP lawmakers have also expressed concern. A half dozen Republicans told Politico they were worried about the implications of Kimmel’s suspension.
Senate Democrats have asked Carr to turn over any communications that he had with ABC about Kimmel, CBS reports.
▪ The Hill: Carr suggests it’s “worthwhile” for FCC to probe “The View.”
▪ The Hill: Top Democrats call for Carr’s resignation in wake of Kimmel suspension.
▪ CNN: How the “attack-dog” FCC chair helped take down Kimmel with words.
HOSTS PUSH BACK: Other late-night hosts — including Colbert, whose show runs until the end of the season next year — defended Kimmel against actions critics say interfere with the free press.
Jon Stewart, the occasional host of Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show,” even stepped in to host the show on Thursday, when his usual day has been Mondays, offering a satirical “administration-compliant” monologue.
“I don’t know who this ‘Johnny Drimmel Live’ ABC character is, but the point is, our great administration has laid out very clear rules on free speech,” Stewart said, listing rules such as not lying and not being critical of political opponents.
NBC’s “The Tonight Show” host Jimmy Fallon called Kimmel a “decent, funny and loving guy” and expressed hope for his show to return. Fallon also joked about alleged censorship from Trump, with a voiceover saying Trump “looked incredibly handsome” during his trip to the U.K.
“Anyway, to sum it up, President Trump is,” Fallon said before the voiceover took over to say, “making America great again by restoring our national reputation, reinvigorating our economy and rebuilding our military. I hereby nominate him for the Nobel Peace Prize.”
Kimmel is technically their competitor, but the hosts have all expressed solidarity with each other over the years, particularly when it comes to opposing Trump.
Trump has gone after Fallon and “Late Night” host Seth Meyers following the Kimmel suspension, urging NBC to follow suit in cancelling both of their shows as well.
Smart Take with Blake Burman
Earlier this week, Trump announced Memphis as the next city to receive National Guard troops and federal officers as part of his crime crackdown. The president says he still has Chicago in his sights as well.
Rep. Max Miller (R-Ohio) is pushing for the president to add Cleveland to the list. Miller told me Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) could support the measure, but Cleveland’s mayor, a Democrat, would need to ask for the support.
“I’ve spoken with the governor. He’s very supportive of it,” Miller said. “We’re just waiting for the mayor to do the right thing, which is pick up the phone, make the call and work with us moving forward.”
Will we start to see more elected Republicans come forward and push their governors to use the National Guard? Keep an eye out here.
Burman hosts “The Hill” weeknights, 6p/5c on NewsNation.
3 Things to Know Today
1. Erika Kirk will take over as the head of Turning Point USA, which her late husband founded, following his killing, the group announced.
2. The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is getting directly involved in the ballot measure to allow California to redraw its congressional lines ahead of the 2026 midterms. The DNC is sending a 41,000-person volunteer team for mobilization efforts.
3. Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani became the first Syrian government official to hold official meetings with the U.S. in 25 years on Thursday when he visited Capitol Hill. The meeting could mark another early step to improving U.S.-Syria relations in the aftermath of the fall of former Syrian dictator Bashar Assad’s government last year.
Leading the Day
TEMPERATURE RISING: Tensions between the left and right have seemed only to rise since the killing of Kirk last week.
Despite Utah Gov. Spencer Cox’s (R) push for an increase in civility and less finger-pointing, his call seems to be largely falling on deaf ears.
While leaders from across the political spectrum condemned the shooting and rejected the use of political violence, a flood of comments on social media celebrated Kirk’s death, enraging conservatives.
A battle also erupted in Congress between Reps. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) and Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) after Mace introduced a resolution to censure Omar and remove her from her committee assignments. Mace alleged that Omar “smeared” Kirk and implied that “he was to blame for his own murder.”
Mace’s resolution cited a video that Omar reposted on social media that called Kirk a “stochastic terrorist” and “adamant transphobe.” Omar noted that the quotes weren’t her own and that she condemned Kirk’s killing.
The House ultimately voted to table Mace’s resolution in a 214-213 vote, with four Republicans siding with all Democrats. But Mace and Omar had harsh words for each other.
▪ The Hill: Trump slams Omar and Somalia after House censure fails.
And in just the past day, the temperature has been raised again with the immediate reaction on both sides to Kimmel’s suspension and reports that the Trump administration plans to target left-leaning groups in the aftermath of Kirk’s death.
The Hill’s Brett Samuels and Rebecca Beitsch report on the fear nonprofits and activists are feeling that the government may seek to roll over the First Amendment to go after them.
Trump has brushed off political violence coming from right-wing individuals and argued that the “far left” is the problem when it comes to containing violence. The Justice Department meanwhile removed a study from its website that found right-wing attacks “outpace” those from the left.
The president further announced Wednesday he was declaring the anti-fascist movement antifa as a terrorist organization. He called the group a “sick, dangerous radical left disaster.”
Democratic strategist David Axelrod argued Trump’s branding of antifa as a terrorist group is an “inflection point” and will be used to go after his political enemies.
The rising tensions, along with the criticism that Cox has received from the left and the right, shows the shrinking space left for the center in the inter-party battle, as The Hill’s Amie Parnes reports.
▪ Axios: “’Wrong and dangerous’: Some Republicans warn against politicizing Kirk’s death.”
▪ Arizona Republic: “A bloody history: Political violence in US crosses left-right lines.”
CR VOTE TEED UP: The House is set to vote on the continuing resolution (CR) on Friday that Republicans are seeking to advance to keep the government open past Sept. 30 at current funding levels.
But passing it in the chamber will be difficult given the GOP’s narrow majority. The Hill’s Mike Lillis and Emily Brooks report that at least four Republican lawmakers have indicated they might withhold their support, which would be enough to block it if all Democrats vote no.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has been in this type of situation before and overcome it, but whether he can whip the votes this time remains to be seen.
“We’re going to get this government funded,” Johnson said.
More challenges lie ahead in the Senate, where Democratic votes will be necessary to overcome the 60-vote threshold to end a filibuster.
Unless enough Democrats vote in favor of the CR in the Senate, a shutdown seems likely. But while the politics of government shutdowns are difficult to predict in advance, Democrats have indicated they like their positioning this time around.
The party has centered its opposition to the CR on its lack of an extension of health care subsidies under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which, as The Hill’s Alex Bolton reports, they see as a winning issue.
“This is impacting people’s lives, and as we have known throughout the years here, when you impact people’s lives in a detrimental way on something that impacts them this personally, they get out and vote,” Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) said.
Health care was a winning issue for Democrats in the 2018 midterms, coming off of Republican efforts to repeal the ACA, and Democrats hope their approach could be a chance to spotlight the issue again.
▪ New York Magazine: Democrats are united against another surrender.
When & Where
The House will convene at 9 a.m.
The Senate will meet at 11 a.m.
The president will receive an intelligence briefing at 11 a.m. and sign executive orders at 3 p.m. Trump is also expected to speak today with Chinese President Xi Jinping for a highly anticipated call.
Zoom In
KEY CDC PANEL VOTES: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) vaccine advisory panel took its anticipated step in favor of shifting guidance on one vaccine for young children and is expected to vote on two others on Friday.
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted to recommend delaying the administration of the measles, mumps, rubella and varicella (MMRV) vaccine for children younger than 4 years old. The 12-member panel voted 8-3 in favor of the recommendation, with one abstention.
It was scheduled to also vote on possibly delaying the administration of the hepatitis B vaccine, but it was delayed until Friday, when the panel is also expected to consider COVID-19 vaccine guidance.
The committee’s two-day meeting is taking place after former CDC Director Susan Monarez testified before a Senate committee about her month-long tenure leading the agency and what led to her firing. Monarez testified that Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wanted her to preapprove the committee’s recommendations, which she refused.
Kennedy himself was grilled by the Senate committee after Monarez’s firing.
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), the chair of the Senate committee with jurisdiction over the CDC and other health agencies, invited Kennedy back to respond to Monarez’s allegations that he sought to politically influence the agency’s work instead of relying on scientific evidence.
▪ CBS: “Inside the CDC vaccine panel’s high-stakes meeting: Science, politics and the future of vaccination.”
HARRIS BOOK RESPONSE: Excerpts of Harris’s book on her brief campaign for the White House last year have been leaking out ahead of its release date next week, and key figures are responding.
One part that received particular attention was Harris saying that former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg was her first choice for her running mate but she believed having a gay man and Black woman running on the same ticket would be “too risky.”
Buttigieg pushed back on the characterization, telling Politico that he was “surprised” to read that. He said his experience suggests that candidates win trust with voters based on “what they think you’re going to do for their lives, not on categories.”
Harris also commented on Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D), who was also a top choice to be her running mate before she ultimately chose Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D). Harris said Shapiro’s focus when they talked of him possibly joining the ticket was his potential role as vice president and being “in the room for every decision.”
Harris said she responded that “vice president is not copresident” and that was unrealistic. She felt he couldn’t settle for a role as second-in-command.
A spokesperson for Shapiro pushed back, telling The Washington Post that suggesting Shapiro was focused on anything other than defeating Trump and protecting Pennsylvania is “simply ridiculous.”
“The Governor campaigned tirelessly for the Harris-Walz ticket — and as he has made clear, the conclusion of this process was a deeply personal decision for both him and the Vice President,” the spokesperson said.
Harris’s book, entitled “107 days,” will be released Tuesday.
SCOTUS BATTLE: The Justice Department formally asked the Supreme Court to green-light the Trump administration’s push to fire Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook.
Trump has accused her of committing mortgage fraud, which she denies. The request for the high court to get involved was expected after an appeals court rejected the administration’s emergency request.
A test now lies before the Supreme Court, which has regularly sided with Trump in emergency cases previously but recognized the independence of the Fed. Trump is the first president to try to fire a Fed governor.
The result will give a hint of the extent of Trump’s influence on the agency, particularly in the aftermath of his ally, Stephen Miran, being confirmed to the board of governors.
TEXAS A&M PRESIDENT RESIGNS: The president of Texas A&M University, Mark Welsh, announced he will step down from his role after just two years on the job following internal and external pressure amid backlash over a lecturer’s lesson on gender and sexuality, with conservatives arguing her teaching violated Trump’s executive order against diversity, equity and inclusion.
Elsewhere
DEMS BACK PALESTINIAN STATE: A group of Democratic senators have introduced a resolution calling for the United States to recognize a Palestinian state as the war in Gaza continues to rage, nearly reaching the two-year mark.
The resolution from Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) is the first ever introduced in the Senate to call for the recognition of a Palestinian state. It was co-sponsored by more than a half dozen other Democrats, including Sens. Chris Van Hollen (Md.), Peter Welch (Vt.) and Mazie Hirono (Hawaii).
Though it is highly unlikely to advance in the Senate, it is a symbolic measure aimed at offering support for Palestinians as Democrats wrestle with a split between more pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian factions.
“Recognition of a Palestinian state is not only a practical step the United States can take to help build a future where Palestinians and Israelis can live in freedom, dignity, and security, but it is the right thing to do. America has a responsibility to lead, and the time to act is now,” Merkley said in a statement.
The resolution also comes as several of the U.S.’s allies are poised to recognize a Palestinian state. Coming off Trump’s visit, Starmer is expected to confirm the U.K. will move forward with recognizing statehood at a meeting of the United Nations General Assembly next week.
Other allies like France and Canada have also indicated they plan to recognize Palestine as they argue for a two-state solution to the conflict.
▪ AP: US vetoes UN resolution on Gaza ceasefire, hostage release.
▪ The Hill: “Trump discusses ‘disagreement’ with Starmer on Israel-Gaza during joint press conference.”
Opinion
Why does defending awful speech matter? Now you know, writes Washington Post opinion columnist Matt Bai
The pandemic is over — let Biden’s health insurance handouts expire, writes The Hill opinion contributor Dean Clancy
The Closer
And finally … 👏👏👏 Congrats to this week’s Morning Report quiz winners! They got a handle on some of the facts about the Constitution’s creation!
🧩 Here’s who went 4/4: Chuck Schoenenberger, Lou Tisler, David Crockett, Philip Kirstein, Alan Johnson, Peter Sprofera, Ron Herrera, William Moore, Rick Schmidtke, Jenessa Wagner, Richard Baznik, Stan Wasser, Ned Sauthoff, Bob Hickerson, David Faunce, Linda Field, Paul Agnew, Don Swanson, Jerry LaCamera, Mark Roeddiger, Robert Bradley, Steve James, Terry Pflaumer, Jerry Leonard and Harry Strulovici.
Thomas Jefferson was the author of the Declaration of Independence, but he didn’t sign the Constitution. He was serving as minister to France at the time.
The Articles of Confederation underpinned the first governing system set up for the new United States but was only in effect for less than a decade before the Constitution superseded it.
There have been 27 amendments to the Constitution since its ratification in 1789, including the first 10 known as the Bill of Rights.
The Constitution was signed in Philadelphia, also the site of the Declaration’s signing.
