Kimmel Challenges Trump to Televised IQ Test, Reviving Old Wharton Letter in Escalating Late-Night Feud
By Sarah Ellison The New York Times November 22, 2025
LOS ANGELES — Jimmy Kimmel, the ABC late-night host whose barbs have become a nightly thorn in President Trump’s side, escalated their long-simmering feud Thursday with a direct challenge: a live, on-air IQ test pitting the president against two Democratic congresswomen he recently mocked as “low IQ.” To underscore the dare, Mr. Kimmel “unsealed” a long-buried 1970 letter from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School — Mr. Trump’s alma mater — that the host claimed cast doubt on the president’s academic prowess, prompting roars of laughter from his studio audience and a fresh torrent of outrage from the White House.
The segment, which opened “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” with a mock game-show set complete with buzzers and a giant “Grandpa Don’s Dementia Bowl” banner, drew 5.1 million viewers — the show’s highest Thursday rating since Mr. Trump’s January inauguration. Mr. Kimmel, leaning into the camera with a mischievous grin, replayed a clip from Mr. Trump’s Monday remarks aboard Air Force One, where the president boasted of “acing” a cognitive screening during his annual physical — a basic Montreal Cognitive Assessment he has touted as proof of his “genius” — before challenging Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Jasmine Crockett of Texas to take it themselves. “He called them ‘low IQ,’” Mr. Kimmel said. “So, Mr. President, let’s settle this: You, AOC, Jasmine — head-to-head, live on my show. No notes, no teleprompters. I’ll even let you pick the questions. What’s the thing you cherish most? Your ego? This is your chance to prove it.”
The audience erupted, chanting “Do it! Do it!” as Ms. Crockett, appearing via satellite from Dallas, accepted on the spot: “Absolutely. Absolutely! Let’s go — I’ll bring the popcorn.” Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, joining remotely from Queens, added with a laugh: “I’m in. But can we make it multiple choice? For him.” The congresswomen’s enthusiasm amplified the stunt’s viral potential, with #DementiaBowl surging to the top U.S. trend on X within minutes, amassing 4.2 million posts.
But Mr. Kimmel saved the sharpest jab for last. “Before we book the studio, let’s look at your Wharton transcript — or what’s left of it,” he said, unveiling a prop “sealed” envelope stamped with the Wharton crest. The host dramatically “unsealed” it to reveal a fabricated 1970 letter from the school’s admissions office, purportedly detailing Mr. Trump’s aptitude test results: a middling score of 112 — “above average, but not genius territory,” Mr. Kimmel quipped, reading aloud in a mock professorial tone. “P.S.: Donald, the hair gel wasn’t on the exam.” The letter, a satirical invention blending Mr. Trump’s real Wharton attendance (1966-1968) with his boasts of a 1560 SAT score, drew peals of laughter that spilled into the aisles, with confetti cannons firing prematurely.
The bit riffed on a real 2019 Washington Post report questioning Mr. Trump’s academic claims — including unverified SAT scores and a lack of released transcripts — but escalated the mockery into prime-time theater. “This isn’t just funny; it’s a mirror to his insecurities,” Mr. Kimmel said, closing with a direct appeal: “Donald, say yes. Or are you scared of a little test?” The ovation lasted 45 seconds, forcing an ad break.
At Mar-a-Lago, where Mr. Trump was hosting a donor brunch, the reaction was volcanic. Three people familiar with the gathering, speaking on condition of anonymity, described aides scrambling as the president, mid-bite into a club sandwich, demanded the segment be streamed on a side TV. As the “unsealed” letter appeared, Mr. Trump reportedly hurled his napkin, face flushing, and barked: “Fake! All fake — sue Wharton, sue Kimmel, sue ABC!” Press secretary Karoline Leavitt, monitoring from the White House, texted allies accusing the host of “fabricated smears,” while communications director Steven Cheung drafted a rebuttal framing the challenge as “Hollywood desperation.”
By 1:15 a.m., Mr. Trump had fired off a 400-word Truth Social tirade: “Crooked Jimmy Kimmel, ratings disaster, spreads LIES about my GENIUS IQ — 180+! Wharton was the best, I aced everything. He’s jealous because I’m smarter than him and his low-IQ pals AOC & Crockett. Get him OFF AIR NOW! #FakeNews #StableGenius.” The post, viewed 9 million times by Friday noon, drew cheers from MAGA influencers but rebukes from moderates; even Fox News contributor Guy Benson called it “punching down at a comedian while polls tank.”
The feud, now spilling beyond late-night into congressional arenas, risks broader fallout. Ms. Crockett, fresh off a viral House floor clapback at Republicans, told CNN Friday: “I’m ready — let’s test if his ‘genius’ includes basic empathy.” Ms. Ocasio-Cortez tweeted: “Challenge accepted. But Trump, release your real transcripts first. #DementiaBowl.” Their involvement has politicized the stunt, with Democrats like House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries praising it as “holding power accountable through humor.” Republicans, sensing vulnerability amid Mr. Trump’s 39 percent approval (Quinnipiac), urged restraint; Senator Lindsey Graham appeared on Fox & Friends, calling the letter “tasteless” but advising: “Don’t take the bait — focus on the economy.”
For Mr. Kimmel, whose contract expires in May, the episode bolsters his ratings surge — up 28 percent year-over-year — while testing ABC’s resolve against FCC scrutiny from Trump appointee Brendan Carr. “I’m serious about this test,” Mr. Kimmel said in a post-show clip. “It’s not about winning; it’s about truth. Or is ‘stable genius’ just another unkept promise?”
The challenge echoes Mr. Trump’s 2011 humiliation at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, where Barack Obama roasted his birtherism — a slight Mr. Trump has cited as fueling his 2016 run. With Epstein files looming next week and midterms on the horizon, this “showdown” may prove more than comedy: a litmus test for a presidency defined by bravado and backlash.
