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NEW YORK — The decision about whether to keep Jimmy Kimmel on his late-night ABC show depends on far more than his jokes. The choice is complicated by a web of business and regulatory considerations involving ABC’s parent company, other media companies and the Trump administration.

It’s the inevitable result of industry consolidation that over years has built giant corporations with wide-ranging interests.

ABC owner Walt Disney Co., a massive organization with far-flung operations, frequently seeks federal regulatory approval to expand, buy or sell businesses or acquire licenses. And the Trump administration has not spared the company from investigations, opening multiple inquiries in just the last few months to investigate alleged antitrust, programming and hiring violations.

Kimmel was suspended from his show last week following comments suggesting that fans of Charlie Kirk were trying to “score political points” over the conservative activist’s shooting death. Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr called the remarks “truly sick” and suggested his agency would look into them.

Carr answers to President Trump, a frequent Kimmel target whose dislike of the comedian is well known.

Two companies that operate roughly a quarter of ABC affiliates nationwide, Nexstar Media Group and Sinclair Broadcasting, also said they would not air Kimmel’s show.

Disney took a step in December to avoid a confrontation with Trump by paying $15 million to settle Trump’s defamation lawsuit against ABC News and anchor George Stephanopoulos, in a case many civil rights attorneys considered weak. It also made moves to dismantle some of its diversity, equity and inclusion practices, including removing references in its annual report to its Reimagine Tomorrow program aimed at “amplifying underrepresented voices.”

Apparently that wasn’t enough.

In April, the FCC sent a a blistering letter to Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger saying it suspected the company was so thoroughly “infected” with “invidious” practices favoring minorities that it had no choice but to open an investigation.

Among other questions, the inquiry sought to determine whether Disney had really ended policies designed to ensure characters in its shows and its hiring practices favored “underrepresented groups.”

Meanwhile, a Disney deal struck in January to buy a stake in the streaming service FuboTV fell under scrutiny too, with several reports that the Justice Department was investigating possible antitrust violations.

The Federal Trade Commission also launched an inquiry into whether Disney broke rules by gathering personal data from children watching its videos without permission from parents. Disney settled the case this month by paying $10 million and agreeing to change its practices.

Disney also needs approval from the Trump administration for ESPN to complete its acquisition of the NFL Network.

It hasn’t helped that Disney was a target for many conservatives well before the current controversy. Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis battled with the company over its criticism of a DeSantis-backed law that restricted discussion of sexual orientation in schools.

Kirk wasn’t a fan, either, criticizing Disney when it closed Splash Mountain rides at theme parks three years ago to remove references to the 1946 film “Song of the South,” which has long been decried as racist for its romanticized depictions of slavery.

The move, Kirk’s website posted, was “destructive to our cultural and societal fabric.”

The companies with ABC stations that put out statements disavowing Kimmel have their own business before the government. Nexstar needs the Trump administration’s approval to complete its $6.2-billion purchase of broadcast rival Tegna.

Sinclair has its own regulatory challenges. In June, it entered into an agreement with the FCC to fix problems with paperwork filed to the agency and to observe rules about advertising on children’s shows and closed-captioning requirements. It has also petitioned the regulator to relax rules limiting broadcaster ownership of stations.

The companies are being asked by advocates and others to put aside financial concerns to stand up for free speech.

“Where has all the leadership gone?” ex-Disney Chief Executive Michael Eisner wrote Friday on social media. “If not for university presidents, law firm managing partners and corporate chief executives standing up to bullies, then who will step up for the First Amendment?”

The administration’s attacks on Kimmel have also been criticized in some unexpected places, such as the Wall Street Journal and Bari Weiss’ website, the Free Press — both known for their conservative editorial voices — and by Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, a staunch conservative and Trump ally.

The comedian’s comments don’t justify the right wing’s move toward regulatory censorship, the Journal wrote in an editorial. “As victims of cancel culture for so long, conservatives more than anyone should oppose it,” the Journal wrote. “They will surely be the targets again when the left returns to power.”

“When a network drops a high-profile talent hours after the FCC chairman makes a barely veiled threat, then it’s no longer just a business decision,” the Free Press wrote in an editorial. “It’s government coercion. Is it now Trump administration policy to punish broadcasters for comedy that doesn’t conform to its politics?”

Bauder and Condon write for the Associated Press.

Goodwill messages continued this week’s unprecedented public display of diplomatic unity between Beijing, Pyongyang and Moscow.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un told Chinese President Xi Jinping that North Korea will support China in protecting its sovereignty, territory and development interests, as the pair met just a day after an unprecedented show of unity with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing.

The bilateral meeting between Xi and Kim on Thursday came as Russia also hailed North Korea’s role supporting its war in Ukraine, continuing the public display of close relations between Pyongyang, Beijing and Moscow after their meeting at Wednesday’s huge military parade in China’s capital to mark 80 years since the end of World War II.

In an article published on Friday by North Korea’s state-run outlet, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim was quoted as saying, “No matter how the international situation changes, the feeling of friendship cannot change” between Pyongyang and Beijing.

“The DPRK [Democratic People’s Republic of Korea] will as ever invariably support and encourage the stand and efforts of the Communist Party of China and the government of the People’s Republic of China to defend the sovereignty, territorial integrity and development interests of the state,” Kim said after meeting with Xi, according to KCNA.

Xi also reportedly told Kim that China and North Korea are “good neighbours, good friends and good comrades” that share one destiny, and he was willing to “defend, consolidate and develop” the countries’ relations, KCNA said.

KCNA also confirmed that Kim departed Beijing on Thursday, concluding his first trip outside of North Korea since meeting with Putin in Russia in 2023.

Top-ranking Chinese Communist Party officials – including Cai Qi and Foreign Minister Wang Yi – attended a send-off ceremony for Kim, according to KCNA.

During Wednesday’s military parade in Beijing – in which the People’s Liberation Army displayed its latest generation of stealth fighters, tanks and ballistic missiles amid a highly choreographed cast of thousands – Xi hailed China’s victory 80 years ago over “Japanese aggression” in the “world anti-fascist war”.

Putin and Kim were among some 26 mostly non-Western world leaders in attendance, with the pair meeting with Xi for two and a half hours on the event’s sidelines in an unprecedented display of unity. The trio discussed “long-term” cooperation plans, according to KCNA.

Putin and Kim also met prior to the parade, with both leaders praising the deepening military partnership between Moscow and Pyongyang.

Seemingly rattled by the meeting, United States President Donald Trump addressed Xi in a post on his Truth Social platform, saying: “Please give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin, and Kim Jong Un, as you conspire against The United States of America.”

A Kremlin aide dismissed Trump’s remarks, saying “no one even had this in their thoughts”.

Following the meeting, Putin also sent Kim a congratulatory message for North Korea’s foundation day, in which he hailed Pyongyang’s support for Moscow’s military campaign in Ukraine.

“Your combat force’s heroic involvement in liberating the Kursk territories from the invaders is a distinct symbol of friendship and mutual aid between Russia and North Korea,” Putin’s message read, according to KCNA.

“I am confident that we will continue to work together to consolidate the comprehensive strategic partnership between our two countries,” Putin added.

North Korea has controversially sent thousands of soldiers to fight in Kursk – a Russian region briefly occupied by Ukraine – and also provided artillery ammunition and missiles to support Moscow in its war against Kyiv.

During their meeting in Beijing, Kim also reportedly told Putin his country would “fully support” Russia’s army as a “fraternal duty”, KCNA previously reported.

Aug. 25 (UPI) — U.S. President Donald Trump and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, meeting for the first time Monday, described their admiration for each other and pledged cooperation in trade and defense.

Trump shook the South Korean leader’s hand as he arrived at the White House. Lee took office in June after a snap election and Trump was back in office in January.

Yoon Suk Yeol was removed as president in April, arrested and jailed after being impeached in 2024 for a failed attempt to declare martial law.

Trump said there is a better relationship with Lee than with the former leader during a session with reporters before meeting privately.

“You’ve had a lot of leaders, I’ve gone through a lot of leaders in South Korea,” Trump said. “You know, it’s been quick. You’ll be there for a long time.

“The various leaders that I’ve dealt with, they were not approaching it properly, in my opinion, having to do with North Korea, but I think your approach is a much better one.”

Lee noted it was different when Joe Biden was U.S. President from 2021-2025.

“But during the short hiatus where you were out of office, North Korea developed further its nuclear and missile capabilities, and that led to a deterioration of the situation,” Lee said.

Trump, speaking wither reporters, said the two nations have common interests.

“We’re going to get [along] together great because we really sort of need each other,” Trump said. “We love what they do. We love their products. We love their ships. And they love what we have.

“We were dealing with them on Alaska,” Trump said about investing in a liquefied natural gas project. “You need oil and we have it.”

He said oil is probably what South Korea needs the most.

In April, when Trump imposed tariffs on foreign-made goods, South Korea was hit with a 25% reciprocal tariff. It was paused for 90 days and subsequently lowered to 15% after renegotiations in July. Most U.S. trading partners have been imposed with at least a 10% baseline fee.

The United States had a $66 billion goods trade deficit with the Asian country in 2024, a 28.5% increase over 2023.

On July 30, Trump said on Truth Social that “South Korea will give to the United States $350 Billion Dollars for Investments owned and controlled by the United States, and selected by myself, as President.”

South Korea also announced a $150 billion proposal, dubbed “Make America Shipbuilding Great Again,” in an effort to revive U.S. shipbuilding.

Lee, noting the Dow Jones Industrial Index is at a record high, said: “I hope Korea can be a part of that renaissance.”

He even praised the Oval Office decor, saying it is “bright and beautiful and it has the dignity of America.” Trump has added several gold touches to the office.

Trump had a different tone about South Korea earlier in the day, posting on Truth Social: “WHAT IS GOING ON IN SOUTH KOREA? Seems like a Purge or Revolution. We can’t have that and do business there. I am seeing the new President today at the White House.”

Trump said in the meeting with Lee that he was referring to raids on churches and on a U.S. military base by the South Korean government. Describing it as “intel,” he said they “probably shouldn’t have done.”

“We didn’t directly investigate the U.S base, we investigated the South Korea unit within the base. I will explain it to you more in detail later,” he told Trump.

Lee said a special counsel team is “conducting a fact-finding” investigation into the matter.

Trump said he is sure they will “work it out.”

Lee arrived in the U.S. capital after he met with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in Tokyo, and said he learned more about negotiations between the United States and Japan, as well as getting tips on Trump’s negotiation style.

Currently, the U.S. has 28,000 troops stationed in the nation.

Trump said he would like for South Korea to give the U.S. ownership of land where the United States has built “a massive military base”.

Lee has been worried about threats from North Korea.

During their Oval Office meeting, Lee said he hoped Trump can work on establishing peace in the Korean Peninsula.

“I think you are the first president to have so much interest in the world’s peace issues and actually made achievements,” Lee said. “So, I hope you would make peace on the Korean Peninsula, which remains the only separated country in the world, and meet with [North Korea’s leader] Kim Jong Un.”

Lee jokingly said that a Trump tower should be built in North Korea, “so I can go play golf in Pyongyang, as well.”

Trump spoke about how he met with Kim at the border, the Demilitarized Zone, on June 30, 2018.

“Love going to DMZ,” Trump said about Kim, praising the dictator.