RFK Jr. Erupts After Jimmy Kimmel Targets Him and Donald Trump in a Scathing Late-Night Monologue.

In a late-night segment that quickly reverberated through political circles, Jimmy Kimmel delivered a pointed and unusually aggressive monologue that mocked both former President Donald J. Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., leaving aides for both men privately scrambling to contain the political fallout, according to several people familiar with the reactions.

The monologue, which aired on ABC earlier this week, blended humor with direct criticism, creating what some observers described as one of Kimmel’s most forceful political commentaries to date. While the late-night host has frequently targeted Mr. Trump in the past, the inclusion of Mr. Kennedy — who recently joined the Trump administration as secretary of health and human services — added a new level of tension to an already complicated political dynamic.

Kimmel opened by lampooning Mr. Trump’s ongoing disputes with federal workers, including air-traffic controllers affected by the recent government shutdown. The host’s tone oscillated between disbelief and exasperation as he read aloud one of Mr. Trump’s social-media posts chastising the workers for staying home without pay. “Trump’s greatest achievement isn’t building walls,” Kimmel remarked. “It’s building excuses.”

But it was the extended segment involving Mr. Kennedy that reportedly triggered the strongest behind-the-scenes reaction. According to a person familiar with the situation, Mr. Kennedy watched the monologue live and was “deeply angered,” pacing and raising his voice as aides attempted to brief him on the growing online reaction. Another individual, who requested anonymity to discuss internal conversations, described the mood inside Mr. Kennedy’s team as “volatile and stunned,” noting that they felt the portrayal of the health secretary was “both dismissive and politically targeted.”

The monologue, which stretched for several minutes, questioned Mr. Kennedy’s long-held views on vaccines and chronic disease, shaping them into exaggerated characterizations for comedic effect. Kimmel portrayed Mr. Kennedy as an eccentric figure whose skepticism often overwhelms evidence, a depiction that drew loud laughter from the studio audience but frustration from Mr. Kennedy’s supporters, who argued the segment ignored the complexity of his policy positions.

Mr. Trump, according to advisers familiar with his thinking, was equally infuriated by the broadcast. At Mar-a-Lago, where he was said to be watching the show, the former president reacted sharply, at one point referring to Kimmel as a “washed-up clown” and demanding that staff “push back immediately.” The comments echo his long-standing antagonism toward late-night hosts, whom he has repeatedly accused of political bias.

The White House did not issue any formal response. But advisers privately acknowledged that the timing of Kimmel’s monologue — shortly after the confirmation of Mr. Kennedy as secretary — created an awkward narrative moment for an administration already navigating a contentious political climate.

Late-night political criticism is hardly new, yet the combined targeting of Mr. Trump and Mr. Kennedy in a single segment highlighted an unusual political alliance. Mr. Kennedy’s appointment as health secretary, confirmed by a narrow Senate vote, marked a significant shift from his past identity as an independent critic of both major parties. His arrival in the administration was welcomed by some Trump supporters and met with skepticism among public-health experts who question his longstanding positions on vaccines, environmental toxins and chronic disease.

For Kimmel, the monologue reflected a broader trend in late-night television, where political satire often functions as a hybrid of entertainment and commentary. “Kimmel didn’t just make America laugh,” one media analyst said. “He shaped a conversation about two of the most polarizing figures in American public life.”

Clips of the segment spread rapidly across social media platforms, amassing millions of views within hours. Political strategists from both parties noted that late-night television, while comedic, can influence public perception, particularly among younger voters who consume news primarily through online video.

Whether the monologue will have lasting political consequences remains unclear. Mr. Trump has historically turned late-night criticism into rallying points for his supporters, presenting himself as a target of media hostility. Mr. Kennedy’s reaction, described by aides as unusually emotional, may signal the challenges he faces transitioning from activist outsider to federal official under persistent national scrutiny.

For now, the episode illustrates a familiar reality in American politics: that satire, even when exaggerated for comedic effect, retains the power to provoke, unsettle and occasionally reshape public conversation. And as the Trump administration continues to navigate internal tensions and external criticism, late-night television remains one of the many arenas where political narratives are contested — loudly, humorously and, at times, uncomfortably.