Jimmy Kimmel says ‘I’ll go when you go’ after Trump allegedly tried to fire him

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Jimmy Kimmel escalated his long-running war of words with President Donald Trump on the November 20th episode of 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!,' claiming the president previously tried to have him fired during his September hiatus and mocking Trump’s late-night Truth Social attacks in a monologue that drew both laughter and gasps from the studio audience.

The clash comes just 24 hours after Trump blasted the ABC host again in a Nov. 19 post asking why the network “keeps Jimmy Kimmel… on the air” and demanding, “Get the bum off the air!!!”

Jimmy Kimmel says Donald Trump pushed networks to fire him during September hiatus

During his Thursday monologue, Kimmel addressed Trump’s Nov. 19 Truth Social post, where the president wrote, “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!!!”

Kimmel fired back, telling his audience: “You’ve done this before. You tried to get me fired in September. It didn’t work. Mr. President, I admire your tenacity.”

He then revisited Trump’s latest late-night post, reading it aloud to a chorus of boos. Kimmel noted that Trump’s Truth Social rant was posted at 12:49 a.m., only 11 minutes after the show ended on the East Coast.

“Which is nice, he watches us live. Hi, Mr. President! … It’s viewers like you who keep us on the air, ironically,” he joked.

Jimmy Kimmel mocks Trump in fiery monologue

Kimmel then leaned in harder, directly referencing Trump’s ongoing controversies.

“It’s also sweet that, even in the middle of the biggest sex scandal in the history of the American presidency, he takes precious time on the toilet to post about our show,” he said, drawing laughs.

“Keeps saying we have bad ratings. And you should listen to him, because if anyone knows about bad ratings, it’s that guy.”

The host rolled a montage of news clips reporting Trump’s plunging poll numbers, earning cheers. He followed it with a challenge: “If you’re watching tonight, which I presume you are, how about this: I’ll go when you go, OK? Let’s ride off into the sunset together like Butch Cassidy and the Suntan Kid. And until then, if I may borrow a phrase from you: Quiet, piggy.”

The jab referenced Trump’s infamous moment aboard Air Force One when he snapped at Bloomberg reporter Catherine Lucey, telling her, “Quiet! Quiet, piggy!”

White House spokesperson mocks Jimmy Kimmel

When contacted by USA TODAY, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson dismissed Kimmel altogether.

“Reacting to Kimmel’s show would require me to waste my time watching it, and like many Americans… I have more entertaining things to do – like watch paint dry,” she said.

The remark marked another escalation in the White House’s increasingly combative tone toward late-night critics.

Donald Trump’s seditious behavior claim sparks outrage

Kimmel also called out Trump’s most inflammatory remark of the week, the president’s Nov. 20 post accusing six Democratic lawmakers of “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!”

“Seditious behavior, punishable by death, which is one of the worst punishments there is,” Kimmel joked. “It’s even worse than losing your TV show, for instance. No big deal. Just the president… musing about Congress people being executed.”

Trump later softened his tone during a Nov. 21 appearance on Fox News Radio’s Brian Kilmeade Show, insisting, “I’m not threatening death… But I think they’re in serious trouble. In the old days, it was death.”

September suspension raises free-speech concerns amid FCC scrutiny

Kimmel’s abrupt absence from air in September fueled debate about political influence over broadcasting. First Amendment advocates accused the FCC of weaponizing licensing power and warned that networks criticizing Trump risked “regulatory retaliation.”

FCC Chair Brendan Carr, who echoed Trump’s demand to fire Late Night host Seth Meyers earlier this month, shared a Truth Social post where Trump said Meyers had “no talent” and should be terminated “IMMEDIATELY!”

The backlash intensified after station-group executives signaled discomfort with Kimmel’s harsh commentary on conservative figures, prompting concerns about a chilling effect on political satire.