Trump Threatens to “Cancel” Jimmy Kimmel After Late-Night Host Criticizes Him on Live Television.

In a moment that underscores the increasingly volatile relationship between the former president and the late-night entertainment world he frequently denounces, Donald J. Trump reacted sharply on Tuesday night after Jimmy Kimmel aired a pointed monologue criticizing his recent political rhetoric. According to people familiar with the matter, Mr. Trump was watching live from his residence in Florida when the segment appeared, prompting what one aide described as “an immediate, visceral eruption.”

The monologue, which opened Kimmel’s nightly program on ABC, blended satire with direct critique, a combination familiar to viewers but unusually combustible for the former president. Kimmel addressed Mr. Trump’s campaign messaging, legal challenges, and public statements, at one point accusing him of “recycling grievances faster than he recycles staff.” While the line drew laughter from the studio audience, it appeared to strike a nerve in Palm Beach.

Mr. Trump, according to two people who were present and spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations, took particular offense at a portion of the segment in which Kimmel highlighted contradictions in his recent comments regarding national security and media accountability. The host played several short clips, juxtaposing the former president’s remarks from various interviews and speeches. The comedic framing gave the piece a lightness that belied its sharpness, and by the end of the monologue, Kimmel’s audience was applauding a critique that was both humorous and unusually direct.

Inside Mar-a-Lago, the tone was markedly different. One aide described Mr. Trump’s reaction as “heated from the moment the segment started,” adding that he began pacing near the television and questioning whether the show could be “taken off the air” if he were to win a second term. Another adviser said that, while the comments were made in frustration, the former president continued the tirade for several minutes, insisting that Kimmel’s coverage was unfair and “bordering on harassment.”

Mr. Trump has long maintained an adversarial relationship with late-night hosts, reserving particular ire for those who have made him the centerpiece of their humor. In previous years, he publicly clashed with Kimmel, Stephen Colbert, and Seth Meyers, accusing them of bias and demanding that network executives “reign in” what he sees as political attacks. But Tuesday night’s reaction appeared more acute, fueled in part by the tense environment surrounding his ongoing legal proceedings and the increasingly combative tone of his campaign rallies.

Representatives for ABC declined to comment on Mr. Trump’s remarks. A spokesperson for “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” said the show had no plans to address the former president’s reaction and noted that the program had covered a wide range of political figures over the years. The segment in question has since circulated widely online, generating millions of views within hours and prompting a fresh wave of debate over the role late-night television plays in shaping political discourse.

Media analysts say Kimmel’s monologue fits squarely within a broader shift that has unfolded over the past decade, as late-night shows have leaned more heavily into political commentary. “These programs have become a kind of nightly referendum on the news,” said Dr. Melanie Hart, a communications professor at Northwestern University. “What used to be punchlines about celebrity culture have evolved into sustained critiques of political behavior. For politicians who are sensitive to their public image, that can be both irritating and consequential.”

For Mr. Trump, whose relationship with the press and entertainment industry has long oscillated between attraction and hostility, the latest episode reflects the tension of a figure who came to prominence through television but now finds himself regularly scrutinized by it. His assertion that he could “cancel” the show — even if made in anger — echoes earlier statements in which he threatened regulatory action against media organizations he deemed hostile.

Political observers note that such remarks may play well with segments of his base who view mainstream media as politically adversarial. But they also raise concerns about how a second Trump administration might attempt to exert influence over institutions traditionally insulated from political pressure.

Meanwhile, Kimmel’s segment continues to circulate, amplified by social media accounts across the political spectrum. Supporters praised the monologue as a necessary callout of political contradictions; critics dismissed it as another example of what they view as Hollywood’s entrenched bias. The clip’s momentum online underscores a dynamic that has defined much of modern political communication: televised satire, once regarded as lightweight entertainment, has become a potent instrument of public critique.

As for the former president, advisers say the incident is unlikely to dampen his sensitivity to criticism televised to millions of viewers. One aide, attempting to downplay the moment, said only that “the president does not appreciate being mocked.” Yet those who have followed his long-running feud with late-night comedy say the exchange is likely far from over.