In his comeback, Jimmy Kimmel struck a tone of sorrow for his controversial comments about Charlie Kirk - without saying sorry - and went on to make clear he would refuse to be cowed by his critics, chiefly Donald Trump. Referencing last week's remarks that led to his brief suspension by Disney, the late-night talk show host stopped short of an apology as his show returned on Tuesday. Kimmel chose his words carefully as he said he accepted that some people felt his remarks about Kirk's death had been 'ill-timed or unclear or maybe both', and told them: 'I get why you're upset.' Last week, the host made a clumsy connection between the man suspected of shooting the conservative influencer earlier this month and the 'Maga gang', and joked that Trump's reaction was akin to 'how a four-year-old mourns a goldfish'. On Tuesday, Kimmel choked up as he told viewers it was 'never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man'. And, again, it was not his 'intention' to 'blame any specific group' for the actions of Kirk's killer. He stressed that he 'meant it' when he posted a message sending love to Kirk's family on Instagram last week, before this row erupted. But Kimmel was also at pains to make clear that the furore of recent days would not force him to back off in his treatment of Trump. In fact, being at the center of a storm about free speech seems to have hardened his resolve. He emphasized the importance of free expression in America, stating, 'A government threat to silence a comedian the president doesn't like is anti-American.' Kimmel's sharp return and his unwavering tone resonated with both supporters and critics, fueling an ongoing discussion about comedy, speech, and power dynamics in the media today.