Jimmy Kimmel mocks ‘loyal viewer’ Trump for helping him rank as one of Google’s top trending people

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel offered a sarcastic "thank you" to President Donald Trump on Thursday, December 4, crediting his relentless attacks for making him one of the most searched people on Earth.

During his monologue on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!', the comedian revealed that he had ranked third on Google’s list of the most trending people worldwide for 2025.

"None of this would’ve ever happened without the support of loyal viewers like President Trump, who has done so much this year to raise awareness for our show," Kimmel deadpanned.

He added, "Thank you, Mr President, for making me number three in the world."

Jimmy Kimmel ranks behind 'murderers' but beats the Pope

Kimmel spent several minutes analyzing the eclectic list of names that beat him to the top spots.

He noted that he trailed behind musician "d4vd" and rapper Kendrick Lamar, who took first and second places, respectively.

"I’m not sure if it’s an honor, because number one was a singer named David who spells his name with a '4' instead of an 'a', who is a suspect in a murder, which I guess got him bumped up," Kimmel joked.

He continued, "Number two is Kendrick Lamar, who murdered Drake this year at halftime of the Super Bowl. And then it’s me, even though I haven’t been involved in any murders!"

Kimmel also celebrated beating out Pope Leo XIV, the first American-born pontiff elected earlier this year.

"Somehow, I finished ahead of the Pope. Eat it, Leo!" he taunted.

Trump's Truth Social attacks fuel interest

The comedian acknowledged that his high search volume was largely driven by his ongoing public feud with the president.

Trump has frequently targeted Kimmel on his Truth Social platform, recently calling him "untalented" and demanding that he be removed from the airwaves.

"Why does ABC Fake News keep Jimmy Kimmel, a man with NO TALENT and VERY POOR TELEVISION RATINGS, on the air? Get the bum off the air!!!" Trump wrote in a late-night post last month.

Kimmel has consistently used the attacks as fodder for his show, previously responding, "I’ll go when you go, OK? We’ll be a team. Let’s ride off into the sunset together like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid."

He also mocked the timing of Trump's posts, which often appeared shortly after the show aired on the East Coast.

"He watches us live," Kimmel quipped. "Hi, Mr President! How are you? Thanks for watching us on TV instead of on YouTube."

September suspension remains a flashpoint

While Kimmel made light of the situation on Thursday, his year has been marked by genuine controversy that contributed to his trending status.

In September, ABC suspended Kimmel's show for nearly a week following backlash over comments he made regarding the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Kimmel had implied during a monologue that the suspected killer, Tyler Robinson, was a Trump supporter, a claim that was later disputed by authorities.

The incident led to intense pressure from the right, with Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair Brendan Carr threatening regulatory action against the network.

Critics called the regulatory threats "unconstitutional jawboning," but the controversy solidified Kimmel's status as a central figure in the culture wars of 2025.