'He had no talent': Trump calls Jimmy Kimmel a 'whack job', says he can be replaced by anybody

Donald Trump criticized ABC and Jimmy Kimmel, saying the network unfairly targets him and Kimmel lacked ratings and talent
UPDATED SEP 19, 2025
Donald Trump returned from the UK and criticized Jimmy Kimmel’s talent and late-night show ratings (PG/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images, Getty Images)
Donald Trump returned from the UK and criticized Jimmy Kimmel’s talent and late-night show ratings (PG/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images, Getty Images)


 

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump criticized ousted ABC late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, claiming anyone could replace him.

The remarks came as Trump and first lady Melania returned home after a two-day State Visit to the United Kingdom, where he signed major US-UK nuclear and technology agreements with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Donald Trump says Jimmy Kimmel had no ratings

When asked who should take over the 11:35 pm weeknight slot, Trump replied, "Anybody could replace him, he had no talent."

The president added, "He's a whack job, but he had no talent. And more importantly, he had no ratings."

U.S. President Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announce an agreement between the two countries as they hold a press conference at Chequers at the conclusion of a state visit on September 18, 2025 in Aylesbury, England. This is the final day of President Trump’s second UK state visit, with the previous one taking place in 2019 during his first presidential term.
Donald Trump and Keir Starmer signed a US-UK nuclear and technology agreement in Aylesbury (Leon Neal/Getty Images)

He also criticized the network, saying, "When you have evening shows and all they do is hit Trump … They're an arm of the Democrat Party."

Conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was shot in the neck on September 10 during a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University, resulting in his death. The shooter, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, was arrested.

Addressing the case on-air, Kimmel said, "We hit some new lows over the weekend, with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them."



 

He added sarcastically, "This isn’t how an adult grieves the murder of somebody he called a friend. This is how a 4-year-old mourns a goldfish."

Two days later, ABC suspended Kimmel’s show after Nexstar Media Group, which operates multiple ABC affiliates, announced it would no longer broadcast the program. Nexstar is awaiting Trump administration approval for a $6.2 billion merger with TEGNA.

'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' crew revolt, talk of retaliation

Inside Kimmel’s camp, the reaction was intense. A producer told the Daily Mail, "There's no such thing as free speech in America if the government can lean on companies to stop any content they don't like. And shame on the network for caving into the pressure."

The producer added, "Jimmy said he's going to fight this, not even because he cares so much for the show, although he does, but because he cares about the precedent. He can't make a comment about Charlie Kirk?"



 

He further warned, "He'll get every friend he has to stop doing ABC shows. You want to book someone on The View? Good luck. How dare they?"

"As upset as I am, you can only imagine how Jimmy is. He's beside himself. I've never seen him this angry, ever," the producer said.

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