Former U.S. President Donald Trump has taken aim at late-night host Jimmy Kimmel following his return to television. Writing on his platform Truth Social, Trump labeled Kimmel the “worst host on television” and claimed his program was a “disaster.” His remarks came just hours after Kimmel poked fun at Trump’s mounting legal battles during his first monologue on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in nearly five months.
Key Takeaways
- Donald Trump attacked Jimmy Kimmel on Truth Social after Kimmel’s show returned to the air.
- Trump called Kimmel untalented and criticized the ABC network.
- Kimmel’s first monologue back focused on mocking Trump’s civil fraud trial in New York.
- Late-night shows, including Kimmel’s, had been on a five-month hiatus due to the Hollywood writers’ strike.
The feud was reignited when Kimmel used much of his opening monologue to spotlight Trump’s civil fraud trial in New York, a case involving his family business. Kimmel, who has made a habit of targeting Trump in past shows, leaned heavily into the jokes. The timing made the exchange even sharper, since late-night television had only just returned after the Writers Guild of America strike, which stretched close to 150 days.
Trump, never one to hold back, fired off a lengthy post on Truth Social. In it, he dismissed Kimmel as a “no talent guy” and went so far as to suggest that ABC should remove him altogether. He also doubled down on his criticism of the network, calling its programming “really bad television.”
The clash is hardly surprising. Kimmel has long been one of Trump’s most persistent critics on television, using his platform to regularly lampoon both Trump’s presidency and his actions since leaving office. Trump, for his part, continues to single out journalists, comedians, and networks he perceives as hostile. The timing of Kimmel’s return also matters, with the 2024 U.S. presidential election season now ramping up, giving late-night hosts a fresh stage to weigh in on political storylines.
During the strike, Kimmel worked alongside Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, and John Oliver on the podcast Strike Force Five. The project was meant to raise money to help pay their sidelined staff. Now, with their shows back in production, the familiar nightly rhythm of political jokes, barbs, and commentary has returned to late-night screens.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q. Why did Donald Trump attack Jimmy Kimmel?
A. Donald Trump attacked Jimmy Kimmel on Truth Social because Kimmel made numerous jokes at Trump’s expense, particularly about his ongoing civil fraud trial, during the first episode of ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ after a five-month break.
Q. What did Jimmy Kimmel say about Trump?
A. Jimmy Kimmel used his opening monologue to mock Donald Trump’s legal problems, joking about the details of the fraud case against his company in New York and making fun of the former president’s public statements.
Q. What is Truth Social?
A. Truth Social is a social media platform created by Donald Trump’s company. He uses it as his primary method of communication with his supporters after being banned from other major platforms following the January 6th Capitol events.
Q. Why was Jimmy Kimmel’s show off the air for five months?
A. ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ and other late-night talk shows were off the air from May to early October 2023 because of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike. The strike involved writers for film, television, and radio, who were fighting for better pay and working conditions.
