Jimmy Kimmel offers rare praise to Trump for Gaza peace deal: ‘He finally did something positive’

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Late-night TV show host Jimmy Kimmel seized the unusual opportunity to commend President Donald Trump for a positive development.

Kimmel’s comment came after the release of the remaining 20 Israeli hostages and nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, following the peace deal between Israel and Hamas brokered by the Trump administration.

Jimmy Kimmel praises Trump for brokering Israel-Hamas peace deal 

“What a day for Donald Trump,” Kimmel said in his Monday, October 13 episode. “He finally did something positive today.” Kimmel joked about the president’s achievement, saying, “I want to give him credit for it, because I know he’s not the type to take credit for himself.”

“This took 3,000 years to get to this point, can you believe it? ... And it’s going to hold up, too,” Trump said after signing the peace deal once he flew to Egypt on Sunday, October 12.

“While we’re only in the first phase of what will undoubtedly be a long and tricky process, the fact is the bombing has stopped, the hostages have been released, and Trump deserves some of the praise for that,” Kimmel said on Monday.

“And so I know it sounds crazy to say, but good work on that one, President Trump,” Kimmel said. “Now maybe you can not invade Portland,” he added, referring to Trump’s unpopular decision to deploy federal troops to blue cities such as Portland and Chicago.   

Jimmy Kimmel’s long-running feud with Trump resurfaces after rare praise

Kimmel has frequently clashed with the president, who has mocked the late-night show host and even celebrated when his show was temporarily suspended last month over a controversial comment about slain activist Charlie Kirk.

Throughout both of Trump’s presidential terms, Kimmel has been a vocal critic of him, particularly during his October 2024 monologue, where he directly urged Trump supporters to reconsider their support. 

Jimmy Kimmel jokes about Trump losing the Nobel Peace Prize

In his concluding monologue, Jimmy Kimmel joked about Donald Trump losing the Nobel Peace Prize, which the president actively campaigned for during his second tenure.

“So now Trump’s focused on winning the prize next year, which is fine,” Kimmel said. “Let him keep trying to make peace.” Kimmel joked, “I’m fine with coming up with prizes and trophies to motivate him. Give him the Nobel Reopen the Government and Leave Healthcare Alone Prize. I have no problem with that.”