In a stark warning aimed at the GOP, MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough slammed the suspension of late-night host Jimmy Kimmel as a short-sighted, authoritarian stunt that could come back to bite Republicans hard. And he’s not wrong.
Kimmel was placed on an indefinite hiatus after pressure from FCC Chairman Brendan Carr — on behalf of President Trump — who essentially threatened ABC and its parent company, Disney, over jokes made about conservative activist Charlie Kirk. This wasn’t about broadcasting standards; it was political muscle. And to Scarborough, it’s a dangerous game.
“Everybody thinks that when they get elected, it’s the last election, that they’re going to be in power forever,” Scarborough said on Morning Joe. “I’ve said this before, I’ll say it again. I remember 2004, George W. Bush wins and Karl Rove talks about a permanent Republican majority. Democrats were talking about fearing a permanent Republican majority. Two years later, Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the House. Two years later, Barack Obama’s elected.”
The lesson? Political power is temporary. History is littered with parties that overreached and paid the price. Scarborough reminded viewers of the GOP’s post-Obama Tea Party uprising and how quickly the tide turned — from the crushing defeat of Barry Goldwater in 1964 to Ronald Reagan’s rise just 16 years later. The pendulum always swings.
“There’s always this back and forth, there’s always this ebb and flow, and by always, I mean always,” Scarborough said.
So when the FCC starts playing partisan enforcer and networks bow to political threats, Scarborough argues it’s not just unconstitutional — it’s idiotic.
“So when you see one party doing what the Trump administration is doing, every single Republican should be scared out of their wits because they know they’re not going to be in power forever.”
The implication is crystal clear: Today it’s Kimmel, tomorrow it’s anyone else who dares to speak out — left, right, or center. And if Republicans think this kind of censorship won’t eventually be used against them, they’re deluding themselves.
“What happens if some left-wing FCC chairperson comes in? Yeah, they’ll melt down. Some FCC chairperson comes in, what happens then? Stop setting precedents that are going to be used against you in the future.”
This isn’t about jokes, it’s about power — and how far a party is willing to go to silence dissent. Scarborough’s message to the GOP? You’re not building a legacy. You’re digging a trap — and eventually, you’re going to fall right into it.
Watch the segment below from MSNBC:
