The Trump administration’s pressure campaign against ABC and Jimmy Kimmel, which saw the Federal Communications Commission chief turn up the heat on broadcasters, is intensifying fears over the policing of speech — which were already rising before this week’s late night television uproar.

Kimmel’s fate was up in the air Friday evening after he was indefinitely suspended Wednesday night. It is unclear whether he’ll return to the airwaves or exit ABC.

The Trump administration and its allies have offered no apologies for their actions, arguing Kimmel was facing justifiable consequences for ill-thought-out remarks about the political background of the suspect in conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s death.

“Welcome to Consequence Culture,” deputy White House chief of staff Taylor Budowich posted Thursday on the social platform X. “Normal, common sense Americans are no longer taking the bulls‑‑‑ and companies like ABC are finally willing to do the right and reasonable thing.”

But even on the right, there were some signs of concern about whether the reaction to Kimmel’s comedy routine, and specifically the FCC’s involvement, was appropriate.

Kimmel has long been a figure of ire with conservatives as he has talked more about politics on his show, but some influential voices suggested they were worried the government was getting into the censorship business.

“I hate what Jimmy Kimmel said. I am thrilled that he was fired,” Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said Friday on his podcast. “But let me tell you, if the government gets in the business of saying ‘we don't like what you the media have said, we're going to ban you from the airwaves, if you don't say what we like,’ that will end up bad for conservatives.”

Former Vice President Mike Pence........

© The Hill