Morning Wire Podcast Summary

Episode: Jimmy Kimmel Benched & Socialists Bear Arms?
Date: September 19, 2025
Hosts: John Bickley (Daily Wire Editor-in-Chief) & Georgia Howe

Episode Overview

This episode of Morning Wire tackles several major political and cultural stories dominating the news: the indefinite suspension of late-night host Jimmy Kimmel following his controversial remarks after Charlie Kirk’s assassination, a deep-dive into the far-left Socialist Rifle Association and its links to firearms and activism, and a report on the Trump administration’s mass deportation efforts. The hosts and reporters present an analysis highlighting the partisan divide around free speech, violence, and immigration enforcement.

Main Segments and Key Points

1. Jimmy Kimmel Suspended by ABC for Remarks on Charlie Kirk's Assassination

[02:40 – 07:35]

What Happened?

• Jimmy Kimmel was suspended indefinitely from his late-night ABC show after making controversial comments about conservative commentator Charlie Kirk’s recent assassination.
• Media pressure, not direct FCC action, was cited as the primary reason for Kimmel’s suspension, with several ABC affiliates refusing to carry his show.

Kimmel’s Comments and Fallout

• Kimmel suggested conservatives were “doing everything they can to score political points” from Kirk's death and implied the killer’s motives were being misrepresented.
• Official reports had already identified the killer as deeply left-leaning, motivated by ideology and personal animus towards Kirk’s views.
• Kimmel refused to apologize and reportedly planned to “triple down” on denouncing Trump supporters, leading ABC (owned by Disney) to preemptively bench him.

Notable Quotes

• Georgia Howe [03:21]:
  “We had some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang 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.”
• Megan Basham (Daily Wire Culture Reporter) [03:33]:
  “Kimmel made false statements that he certainly should have known were false at the time that he made them... So you can understand why a lot of people were offended.”
• John Bickley [07:29]:
  “There’s no doubt that his shows don’t draw the audiences they once did.”

FCC and Affiliate Response

• Celebrities and politicians accused the government of coercion via the FCC.
• FCC Chair Brendan Carr pointed out the unique public interest obligations of broadcast networks, though there was no evidence of formal FCC action.
• The episode underscores growing consequences for divisive or inaccurate speech on broadcast platforms, especially where advertiser and affiliate pressure is involved.

2. Profile: The Socialist Rifle Association and Left-Wing Gun Activism

[08:10 – 12:47]

Who Are They?

• The Socialist Rifle Association (SRA), founded in 2019, boasts thousands of members and strong ties to both socialist and transgender activism.
• The group trains leftists in firearms usage “to protect against fascists,” with 1/3 of members self-identified as anarchists, 1/3 as Marxist-Leninists or Maoists, and 1/3 LGBTQ.
• Leadership is notably nonbinary (4/13 national leaders use “they” pronouns).

Ideology and Activities

• SRA is entwined with social justice causes, particularly trans rights, and encourages “queer-friendly” firearms education.
• Notable quote from member (documentary clip) [09:30]:
  • “I am a non binary trans femme... The Trump presidency and seeing how like Trump emboldened literal Nazis, literal fascists... I believe a box has been open that we're not going to be able to shut.”

Links to Violence

• Daily Wire reporter Luke Rosiak reports that SRA members have been common threads in several violent incidents:
  • Armed assault on ICE facility in Alvarado, TX, with main suspect alleged SRA member [10:30].
  • Two firebombings of Tesla dealerships by SRA members.
  • A member fighting with foreign terrorist groups and later encouraging violence against conservatives involved in the January 6 Capitol riot.

Financial and Legal Status

• The SRA operated as a Kansas-incorporated nonprofit, but its federal tax status was revoked.
• Its continued operation without status signals possible federal scrutiny, especially under the Trump administration’s focus on left-wing extremism.

3. Trump Administration’s Mass Deportation Campaign

[12:50 – 17:10]

Deportation Numbers and Targets

• Nearly 400,000 illegal immigrants deported so far, with a stated goal of 1 million per year—far surpassing prior administrations (including the Obama and late Biden years).
• Self-deportation incentivized: illegal immigrants offered paid flights home and $1,000 to leave, with DHS stating 2 million have voluntarily departed.

On-the-Ground Reporting: ICE Agents’ New Challenges

• Dramatic 1,000% increase in assaults on ICE agents, many now wearing masks to protect identities after being doxed and harassed by activist groups [16:03].
• Cities with sanctuary laws, like Chicago, have shielded criminals from deportation, with an anecdote of a recent arrestee who assaulted an officer and had previously evaded ICE.

Notable Quotes

• Ginny Terre (Immigration Reporter) [13:16]:
  “Right now we're at 389,000 illegal immigrants deported so far... it's still a huge advance compared to what we've seen under previous administrations.”

• Ginny Terre [16:03]:
  "Right now there is a thousand percent increase in assaults on ICE agents... This is putting not only those agents at risk, but ... their families at risk, who they go home to every day."

• John Bickley [17:00]:
  “Meanwhile, we have some states or cities that are trying to outlaw any sort of masking by these agents to protect their identity—it’s pretty appalling.”

Memorable Moments

• Kimmel Controversy (Broad Impact): The episode highlights how both left and right are increasingly quick to demand or rebuke deplatformings according to their own interests, but also notes that late-night TV’s declining viewership limits real-world impacts.
• Left-Wing Gun Club Details: The SRA profile provides a rare look at leftist gun culture, usually associated with conservatives, challenging common perceptions and raising questions about extremism on multiple sides.
• ICE’s New Reality: The leap in threats and doxing against ICE agents underlines the heightened volatility around immigration enforcement.

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Jimmy Kimmel Suspension: 02:40 – 07:35
• Socialist Rifle Association/Left-Wing Armed Group: 08:10 – 12:47
• Trump Administration Deportation Efforts: 12:50 – 17:10

Episode Tone and Delivery

• Direct, brisk, and fact-focused, with an occasionally sardonic tone especially in cultural segments.
• Hosts and reporters maintain a right-leaning perspective but feature direct quotations and references to official statements and opposition reactions.
• Notably, the episode uses first-person testimonials and documentary clips to highlight on-the-ground perspectives from both sides of these polarized issues.

This episode offers a succinct but comprehensive guide to not only what happened in these top news stories, but also why they matter, capturing both the heated rhetoric around free speech and violence and the policy shifts under the renewed Trump administration.