'Trump clearly wants to see me ...': Jimmy Kimmel turns emotional as he returns to air; here's what he said

Late Night TV host Jimmy Kimmel fought back tears and delivered an emotional monologue on his return to air as he addressed the raging controversy over his remarks about Charlie Kirk.

Breaking his silence on Tuesday night, Kimmel said that it was never his intention to "make light of the murder of a young man", adding think there was nothing funny about it.

“I understand that to some, that felt either ill-timed or unclear, or maybe both, and for those who think I did point a finger, I get why you’re upset," he said.

ABC and Disney had pulled “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” off the air last week following outrage over the TV host's remarks about the shooter of right-wing activist Kirk.

“This show is not important. What’s important is that we get to live in a country that allows us to have a show like this," Kimmel said as he opened the show following his return.

Kimmel said that while he did not agree with Disney’s decision to pull his show, he is grateful for the company for defending his right to poke fun at the powerful and for allowing him back on the air.

“Unfortunately, and I think unjustly, this puts them at risk,” he said.

Taking a dig at Trump, Kimmel said: “The president of the United States made it very clear he wants to see me and the hundreds of people who work here fired from their job. Our leader celebrates Americans losing their livelihoods because he can’t take a joke.”

“For those who think I did point a finger, I get why you’re upset. I’d have felt the same way,” he said.

“I have many friends and family members on the other side who I love and remain close to, even though we don’t agree on politics at all. I don’t think the murderer who shot Charlie Kirk represents anyone. This was a sick person who believed violence was a solution, and it isn’t,” Jimmy Kimmel said.

Last week, ABC temporarily suspended “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” following backlash over his remarks and accusations that the “MAGA gang” was seeking political advantage from the tragic event.

“The MAGA Gang (is) desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said. “In between the finger-pointing, there was grieving.”

On Wednesday, two days after the monologue aired, Brendan Carr, President Trump’s close ally atop the Federal Communications Commission, publicly suggested Kimmel should be suspended and invoked the FCC’s oversight of local TV stations.

Within a matter of hours two big station groups, Sinclair and Nexstar, signaled that they would preempt Kimmel’s show locally, and then ABC suspended the show altogether, a stunning move that started a national debate about government interference and freedom of speech.

(With inputs from agencies)