Jimmy Kimmel jokes Iran war may hurt Trump more than Epstein files

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Late-night comedian Jimmy Kimmel used his opening monologue on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' to take fresh aim at President Donald Trump, joking that the president’s handling of the ongoing Iran conflict could end up doing more political damage than the renewed attention surrounding his past ties to Jeffrey Epstein.

Kimmel delivered the remarks Tuesday, March 10, as the United States and Israel entered the 11th day of strikes targeting Iranian regime positions.

Kimmel claims Iran war meant to 'distract'

During the monologue, Kimmel framed the conflict as a possible attempt to divert public attention from the fallout of recently released Epstein-related documents.

The files, published by the US Department of Justice, included large volumes of records and correspondence tied to Epstein, reigniting scrutiny around individuals referenced in the material.

Using Trump’s own claims about the progress of the war as the setup for a punchline, Kimmel quipped that the timeline sounded suspiciously convenient.

“Trump claims we are way ahead of schedule on the war. He's got a schedule, which means it should be over just around the time we see his taxes and the rest of the files.”

Kimmel then pushed the joke further, suggesting that if the conflict was intended as a distraction, it might actually end up creating bigger problems for the president.

“Ironically, this war he launched to distract us from those could turn out to be more damaging to him than the files themselves. They're saying this could be worse, and that would mean he'd have to come up with another distraction from the war.”

The comedian closed the segment with a final jab directed straight at Trump. “And if you do need that, Mr. President, I got a good one. You don't want to distract us from the war? Release the unreleased Epstein files.”

Kimmel pokes fun at Melania's documentary

In the same episode of 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!', Jimmy Kimmel also mocked Melania Trump for promoting a documentary about herself while the US remains engaged in military operations against Iran.

Referring to the reported $75 million film 'Melania', Kimmel joked that the project could easily end up competing at the Golden Raspberry Awards, commonly known as the Razzies, which recognize the year’s worst films.

“While some might say that is not a great look, plugging your vanity project while your husband’s bombing another country, Melania has never cared much about optics,” he quipped.

The host also poked fun at a scene in the documentary where Melania congratulates Trump over the phone after the certification of the 2024 election results but admits she had not watched the moment unfold live. 

After airing the clip, Kimmel laughed and remarked, “One of the funniest conversations I’ve ever heard. It almost makes me feel a little bad for him, she does not care at all.”