Trump Loses It Again After Kimmel Comes Back Swinging, and Viewers Say the Comedian’s Brutal Punchlines Were ‘Spot On’
The long-running friction between Donald Trump and Jimmy Kimmel just found fresh fuel, sparking another round of internet fireworks and cementing the late-night host as one of the former president’s most persistent televised antagonists.
Their feud, which has simmered for years, surged again after Kimmel’s blistering Wednesday monologue about the impending release of suspicious court documents.
Kimmel’s sharp commentary — including a pointed jab at Melania Trump — prompted a heated, early-morning rant from Trump less than an hour later.
The comedian launched his 11:35 p.m. show by tapping into the widespread anxiety surrounding the documents.
“We are carefully following the path of Hurricane Epstein right now. It is a category 5, it’s expected to make landfall sometime very soon,” Kimmel told the audience.
From there, he went straight at Trump’s political gymnastics, mocking the former president’s quick turnaround on supporting the bill to release the records.
“Usually when Trump gets a bill, he declares bankruptcy and doesn’t pay it,” he joked, delivering one of the night’s sharpest lines.
Kimmel continued by telling viewers they were a step closer to answering the question: “What did the president know? And, how old were these women when he knew it?” He also took aim at the unwavering loyalty of Republican allies, saying they are “taking the word of someone who paid a star, claims he didn’t do anything with her,” before shifting to a punchline that left many stunned.
After riffing about a White House dinner, he quipped that Melania was “wondering when Congress is going to vote to release her,” a line that ricocheted across social media within minutes.
By 12:49 a.m. ET, Trump had fired back on his Truth Social platform. He demanded to know, “Why does ABC Fake News keep Jimmy Kimmel, a man with NO TALENT and VERY POOR TELEVISION RATINGS, on the air? Why do the TV Syndicates put up with it? Also, totally biased coverage. Get the bum off the air!!!”
His response instantly revived debates about the comedian’s recent controversies, including the September incident when ABC yanked new episodes of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” after the host made inflammatory remarks about a political figure’s death.
Amid public pressure — and the threat of mass subscription cancellations — the network quickly reinstated the show.
Fans thought history might be repeating itself when, after Kimmel’s Nov. 6 monologue, ABC abruptly aired an older episode featuring Tessa Thompson, Daymond John, and The Beths. The new episode, which was set to include David Duchovny, Joe Keery, and Madison Beer, was quietly shelved. Beer’s camp insisted the delay was due to a “personal matter,” but the timing only fueled suspicions that network executives were trying to avoid another political blowback.
Threads users didn’t hesitate to pick apart every angle. Some called Trump’s meltdown predictable, while others wondered whether Kimmel had gone too far with his jokes about Trump’s family. Most celebrated Kimmel’s courage to speak out.
“He’s back on the get Kimmel fired train again huh?” one person wrote, noting the familiar rhythm of Trump’s media attacks.
One user slammed the president’s behavior, posting, “Did he already forget he tried that a few months ago and it blew up in Disney’s face? Take Grandpa’s phone away at night, please.”
Another praised the comedian directly: “Sounds to me like Jimmy Kimmel is doing his job. Keeping the favoring stain rattled. Good job Jimmy.”
Others admitted the feud had made them new fans: “We never watched Kimmel before he was pulled off the air but have ever since his return. He’s hilarious and spot on about DJT!”
And for longtime observers, Trump’s outburst felt like a rerun.
“We should all purposely boycott Kimmel so his ratings fall and then he can sue Trump for slander,” one person proposed.
The battle hasn’t stayed confined to screens.
It’s crept into Kimmel’s personal world as well. On a recent podcast, the host and his wife, Molly McNearney — the show’s executive producer and co-head writer — opened up about the real cost of their political jokes.
McNearney shared that some relatives on the pro-MAGA side “are deliberately being misinformed every day.” She noted the emotional toll, adding, “Them voting for Trump is them not voting for my husband and me and our family. I unfortunately have lost relationships with people in my family because of it.”
