Samuel L. Jackson Stumps Trump With One Question on Live Television

LOS ANGELES — In a moment that instantly entered the annals of late-night television lore, Samuel L. Jackson reduced President Trump to stunned silence on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” Thursday night with a single, pointed question about the 14th Amendment — a 13-second exchange that exposed the limits of Mr. Trump’s constitutional bravado and left the studio audience roaring.

The confrontation, broadcast live from the El Capitan Theatre, began when Mr. Trump called in from Mar-a-Lago to rebut a joke Mr. Jackson had made earlier in the week about the president’s golf game. What started as a familiar barrage of grievances quickly escalated into a challenge. “He’s a lightweight,” Mr. Trump declared of Mr. Jackson, the Oscar-nominated actor known for his commanding screen presence. “He says I cheat at golf. I never cheat. I’m the best golfer. And you know what? He’s not very smart. I have a much higher IQ. I challenge him right now — an IQ test, a cognitive test. I’ll ace it.”

Mr. Kimmel, grinning, revealed that Mr. Jackson was seated in the guest chair, dressed in a signature kangol hat and velvet blazer. The actor, who has feuded with Mr. Trump since 2017 over golf etiquette — Mr. Jackson once accused the then-president of moving his ball — leaned forward with a calm intensity that has defined roles from Jules Winnfield in “Pulp Fiction” to Nick Fury in the Marvel films.

“We don’t need doctors, Donnie,” Mr. Jackson said, using a nickname that visibly rankled the president. “We just need 13 seconds — about as long as your attention span lasts.” The audience erupted in laughter.

Mr. Jackson then produced a playing card — an ace of spades — with the text of the 14th Amendment printed on the back. “You claim you know everything,” he continued. “You claim you’re the smartest man to ever live in the White House. So let’s start simple. What does the 14th Amendment actually say?”

The screen split to show Mr. Trump in Florida, his expression shifting from triumphant to uncertain. “Well, the 14th Amendment,” he began, “it’s very powerful. It’s about the country. It’s a very important amendment — maybe the most important, frankly.”

“No summary, Donald,” Mr. Jackson interjected. “What does it mean?”

Silence. Mr. Trump’s eyes darted off-camera, searching for an aide or note. “It’s about… it’s about citizenship,” he stammered. “Very strong on citizenship.”

Mr. Jackson, timing the exchange with a watch, let the seconds tick. At 13, he cut in: “Section 3: No person shall hold any office who, having previously taken an oath, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same.”

The studio exploded. Mr. Trump, red-faced, muttered about “fake news” and abruptly ended the call. Mr. Kimmel, barely containing laughter, turned to Mr. Jackson: “You just broke the president.”

The clip has since amassed more than 25 million views across platforms, with #14thAmendment trending nationwide. Late-night hosts Stephen Colbert and Seth Meyers devoted entire monologues to it Friday, while cable news panels dissected the implications. For Mr. Jackson, 76, the exchange was personal. He has long criticized Mr. Trump’s golf etiquette — alleging in 2017 that the president routinely cheated at Los Angeles courses — and has been vocal about January 6, calling it an “insurrection” in interviews.

Mr. Trump, 79, has frequently boasted of acing a 2018 cognitive test and challenged opponents to similar contests. His abrupt hang-up echoed past viral moments, including his 2020 debate walk-off and tense exchanges with reporters. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed the segment as “Hollywood elitism,” insisting the president “knows the Constitution better than any actor.”

Yet the 14th Amendment’s disqualification clause — invoked in unsuccessful efforts to bar Mr. Trump from ballots in Colorado and Maine — carries particular resonance. Legal scholars noted that Mr. Jackson’s recitation was word-perfect, highlighting Section 3’s relevance to debates over January 6 accountability.

The feud traces to 2016, when Mr. Jackson told Jimmy Kimmel that Mr. Trump, then a frequent golf partner of celebrities, “cheats like hell.” Mr. Trump denied knowing the actor, tweeting that Mr. Jackson was “boring” and did “too many commercials.” The denial resurfaced Thursday when Mr. Kimmel displayed the tweet, prompting laughter.

For Mr. Jackson, the victory was sweet but measured. “I didn’t come here to play golf,” he told Mr. Kimmel afterward. “I came to remind folks what’s at stake.” The actor, a vocal Democrat who endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024, has used his platform to advocate voting rights and racial justice.

The episode arrives amid a turbulent week for Mr. Trump: stalled immigration reforms, bipartisan probes into Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and the looming Dec. 19 Epstein files deadline. Ratings for “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” surged 28 percent, per Nielsen, marking the show’s highest Thursday in two years.

In an era when celebrity and politics increasingly collide, Thursday’s 13 seconds offered a rare unscripted triumph: a Hollywood icon, armed with nothing but the Constitution, leaving the nation’s most powerful man speechless.