Trump Intensifies Feud With Jimmy Kimmel After New On-Air Monologue Sparks Backlash

In the latest escalation of a long-running and unusually personal feud between a former president and a late-night host, Donald J. Trump again sought to pressure network executives after Jimmy Kimmel delivered an extended segment criticizing him during a Monday night broadcast. The episode, which quickly gained wide circulation online, prompted a reaction from Mr. Trump that aides privately described as “immediate and unusually heated,” renewing questions about how public satire continues to shape — and at times provoke — the political discourse surrounding him.

Mr. Kimmel’s monologue, a blend of comedic performance and pointed commentary, revisited some of the former president’s recent public claims, legal challenges, and recurring grievances. While the tone was typical of late-night television, the segment stood out for its directness. At several points, Mr. Kimmel read aloud portions of Mr. Trump’s recent public statements, pausing to dissect them with the mix of humor and incredulity that has become a signature of his political material.

By Tuesday morning, clips of the segment had amassed millions of views across social platforms, drawing applause from Mr. Kimmel’s supporters and sharp criticism from Mr. Trump’s allies. Several advisers, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss internal conversations, said the former president watched the monologue in real time and immediately began contacting confidants and media surrogates. According to one person briefed on the episode, Mr. Trump complained that the host’s remarks were “unfair,” “disrespectful,” and, in his view, warranted intervention from the network.

Efforts by public figures to challenge the content of late-night comedy are not unprecedented. But Mr. Trump’s continued fixation on Mr. Kimmel — extending over several years and spanning both his time in office and post-presidency — remains unusual in modern American politics. While presidents have long been targets of televised satire, few have responded with the consistency and intensity Mr. Trump has displayed, often turning moments of comedic ridicule into multi-day news cycles.

Representatives for Mr. Kimmel did not respond to requests for comment, and ABC declined to address the specifics of Mr. Trump’s complaint. One network official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal policy, said the late-night program operates with broad editorial independence and has not faced pressure from executives in relation to political material.

For Mr. Trump, however, the episode reflects larger patterns. In recent months, he has made increased efforts to counter televised portrayals he views as damaging. Advisers say he has become especially sensitive to live broadcasts that draw significant social-media attention, often perceiving them as shaping public impressions more quickly than news reporting.

The former president’s relationship with the entertainment world has long been complex. As a public figure who rose to political prominence partly through reality television, Mr. Trump has maintained a keen awareness of media coverage, at times embracing ridicule as a source of visibility and at other times bristling at perceived slights. His exchanges with Mr. Kimmel have featured both tones: dismissive humor on social media, followed by complaints that the host has crossed a line.

Political strategists note that such flare-ups can cut both ways. For Mr. Trump’s supporters, clashes with Hollywood figures serve as reminders of cultural tensions they believe are central to his political identity. For critics, they reinforce longstanding concerns about his reactions to satire and dissent. “What’s striking is not that a comedian criticized a political figure,” said one media scholar who studies presidential communication. “What’s striking is how reliably that criticism generates an outsized and deeply emotional response.”

The Kimmel segment itself included moments of improvisation, audience laughter and several topical jokes, but otherwise followed familiar late-night conventions. In framing his critique, Mr. Kimmel relied on documents and public statements already circulating widely among political reporters. Still, the former president’s response elevated the moment far beyond typical entertainment coverage.

How far the dispute will extend remains unclear. Aides close to Mr. Trump say that while his frustration was real, it may fade as other news cycles overtake the episode. Yet others noted that past interactions with Mr. Kimmel — including earlier monologues that drew presidential attention — have resurfaced repeatedly in Mr. Trump’s remarks months later.

For Mr. Kimmel, who has used his platform to comment on politics with increasing frequency in recent years, the episode underscores the unusual cultural position late-night hosts now occupy: part entertainer, part commentator, and occasionally, unintentionally, part of the political story itself.

Whether this latest clash will shift public opinion is doubtful. But it highlights a broader truth about modern American politics: in an era when entertainment and governance regularly collide, even a comedic monologue can reverberate far beyond the studio where it was delivered.