Kimmel and Schwarzenegger Team Up for Trump Takedown on Live TV, Prompting Presidential Fury at Mar-a-Lago
By Michael M. Grynbaum and James Poniewozik Washington — Nov. 30, 2025
President Donald J. Trump, whose second term has been a nonstop barrage of media grievances, spiraled into a public meltdown on Saturday after late-night host Jimmy Kimmel and action star turned former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger joined forces for a blistering live takedown on ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” The 12-minute segment, a surprise crossover billed as “Terminator vs. The Don,” skewered Mr. Trump’s recent “nasty” jab at Michelle Obama and his handling of the Epstein files, leaving the president fuming on Truth Social and aides at Mar-a-Lago scrambling to contain a narrative spiral that has dominated weekend headlines.
The on-air ambush unfolded Friday night in Los Angeles, where Mr. Schwarzenegger, 78, made a rare television appearance to promote a bipartisan infrastructure initiative. Midway through a discussion on political civility, Mr. Kimmel pivoted to Mr. Trump’s Phoenix rally quip — “what a nasty woman” — about Ms. Obama’s lament over the East Wing demolition. “Arnold, you terminated bad guys on screen; how do we terminate this kind of nastiness?” Mr. Kimmel asked, cueing a montage of Mr. Trump’s insults. Mr. Schwarzenegger, flexing in a tailored suit, deadpanned: “I’ll be back… to say this: Donald, you’re not the boss of me. Calling Michelle nasty? That’s weak. She’s a warrior; you’re just pumping iron in your ego gym.” The duo then tag-teamed the Epstein scandal, with Mr. Kimmel waving unsealed flight logs and Mr. Schwarzenegger adding: “Hasta la vista, baby — to your secrets. Release the files, or admit you’re scared of a little transparency.” The bit, punctuated by Schwarzenegger’s iconic catchphrases repurposed as Trump roasts, drew 5.8 million viewers — the show’s highest Friday rating in years — and exploded online, with clips garnering 40 million views by Saturday.
Mr. Trump’s eruption began at 1:12 a.m. Saturday, a 600-word Truth Social thread viewed over 22 million times: “Jimmy Kimmel, that NO TALENT HACK, teams with washed-up Arnold — a RINO disaster who ruined California! Their FAKE TAKEDOWN is a JOKE — low ratings, high lies! Epstein HOAX again? I’m CLEAN! Mar-a-Lago is WINNING — these losers are TERMINATED!” The post, laced with typos and all-caps fury, reposted a supporter’s meme of Mr. Schwarzenegger as a deflated balloon. At the Florida estate, the frenzy was palpable: Aides described Mr. Trump pacing the grand salon during a donor brunch, hurling a phone after seeing the segment on loop via Fox News alerts. “He’s in full meltdown — demanding FCC complaints, boycotts, everything,” one communications official said anonymously. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt issued a midnight statement: “The president won’t be bullied by Hollywood has-beens — this is why America elected him twice.”
The tag-team originated from Mr. Schwarzenegger’s post-politics pivot to centrist advocacy; he and Mr. Kimmel, both vocal Trump critics, bonded over gym sessions and mutual disdain for the president’s style. Producers teased the appearance as a “surprise guest,” but leaks hinted at fireworks. Mr. Schwarzenegger, who feuded with Mr. Trump during “The Apprentice” era — Mr. Trump once called him “a total disaster” as governor — sharpened the barbs: “Donald fired me on TV; now I fire back. Your ballroom? It’s no muscle beach — just ego bricks.” Mr. Kimmel closed with: “Arnold terminated your excuses — quiet, piggy!” echoing Mr. Trump’s reporter slur.
The backlash cascaded across media ecosystems. Fox News devoted three segments to “Hollywood’s anti-Trump ambush,” with Sean Hannity calling it “vile coordination.” Late-night peers amplified: Stephen Colbert, on his podcast, quipped, “Arnold and Jimmy? That’s the real celebrity death match — Trump’s the one KO’d.” On X, #KimmelArnoldTakedown trended with 2.5 million posts, from MAGA calls for ABC boycotts to viral edits of Schwarzenegger’s “Predator” lines over Trump rally footage. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, a Trump appointee probing Mr. Kimmel’s prior suspensions, tweeted a review of “indecent political content,” prompting ABC to defend: “Satire is speech — not sedition.”
Mr. Trump’s fury compounded a bruising week: His regret post over the Michelle Obama slight backfired, dipping his approval to 38 percent in a CNN poll, with women citing “meanness” as a top grievance. The Epstein shadow loomed larger; Ghislaine Maxwell’s clemency bid and prison perks fueled cover-up claims, amplified by the hosts’ jabs. “They exposed the emperor’s new ballroom — empty,” Mr. Kimmel texted staff post-taping, per sources.
Republicans showed unease. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, called the rhetoric “reg遗憾 but unhelpful,” while moderates like Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., urged focus on policy. Democrats reveled: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries tweeted a Schwarzenegger gif: “Get to the chopper — out of our White House.” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer scheduled hearings on media retaliation.
For Mr. Schwarzenegger, the spot burnished his elder-statesman role; ratings for his infrastructure push spiked 30 percent. Mr. Kimmel, facing advertiser threats, quipped in a teaser: “Trump’s meltdown? That’s the real live TV.” At Mar-a-Lago, the chaos lingered into Sunday golf, with Mr. Trump dictating follow-ups: “Arnold’s a flop — I made him famous!” Yet the takedown’s resonance underscores a presidency under siege by satire: In an era of viral roasts, one tag-team can send an image — and perhaps an agenda — into freefall. As America tunes in, the meltdown isn’t just Mar-a-Lago’s — it’s a nation’s ongoing spectacle.
