Trump claims Jimmy Kimmel's wife 'begged' him to not mock him while hosting Oscars as he reignites feud
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN: Donald Trump reignited his feud with late-night host Jimmy Kimmel during a rally in Wisconsin over the weekend. While swatting away a fly on stage, the former president made a comment that some interpreted as a veiled threat towards supporters of Vice President Kamala Harris.
Following the event, Trump took to Truth Social to continue the conflict with Kimmel.
Trump reignites feud with Kimmel, mocking late-night host's ratings and debate claims
Earlier this year, Trump criticized Kimmel for "trying too hard" during the Oscars and took issue with Kimmel mocking Truth Social.
On Wednesday, Kimmel opened his show by poking fun at Trump’s attempts to frame his recent debate performance against Kamala Harris as a win.
Trump had posted, “Finally everyone is agreeing that I won the Debate with Kamala. It was like a delayed reaction but, as one Political Pundit said, ‘Trump is still the G.O.A.T.’”
Kimmel responded, “He thinks his caddy at Mar-a-Lago counts as a political pundit... I cannot believe that he’s still trying to convince us he won the debate. If you won, why do you keep saying she cheated? Like when Tom Brady deflated the football – he beat the Colts 45-7 that game.”
On Sunday, Trump referenced a moment from the Oscars where Kimmel had previously responded to Trump’s jabs by saying, “Isn't it past your jail time?”
In a social media post, Trump shared a video clip but omitted Kimmel's "jail time" joke, stating, “Remember this? What a dope! His wife and agent begged him not to do it, and just before BEST PICTURE AWARD, yet.”
He added, “He suffers from TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME. All of this on top of really bad ratings for Jimmy, just like failing Bill Maher and the two clowns on CBS and NBC! NO TALENT EQUALS BAD RATINGS!!!”
Molly McNearney joins Kimmel onstage to address Trump's insults and reproductive rights issues
Earlier in September, Trump had brought up the Oscars joke at a rally in Indiana.
Then, Jimmy Kimmel and his wife, Molly McNearney, responded to Trump calling Kimmel "one of the dumbest human beings ever."
During his show, Kimmel played a clip of Trump criticizing him at the Indiana rally, suggesting Molly disapproved of his jokes.
Molly then appeared on stage, saying, "Donald, thank you for your support, and I'm glad I have your attention." She criticized Trump for his influence on abortion bans, adding, "Thanks to you, women in 21 states can't make their own choice about their own life and their own body."
Molly went on to criticize the Republican party for blocking a bill to protect access to IVF, concluding, "So my advice for you is to shut up, and go away. Go to Mar-a-Lago. Spend all day,every day, cheating at golf and masturbating to Newsmax, and let a competent woman take over."
Kimmel and Trump have traded barbs over the years
According to The Hill, the feud between Kimmel and Trump has been ongoing for years, with Kimmel frequently mocking the former president, who retaliates through social media.
Trump first appeared on Kimmel’s show in 2015, before securing the GOP nomination for the 2016 election, where he called for Republican unity while taking jabs at former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, who was also a candidate for the White House.
Kimmel also introduced a satirical children’s book titled “Winner’s Aren’t Losers,” parodying Trump’s campaign rhetoric.
In 2017, Kimmel made emotional appeals against Trump's efforts to repeal Obamacare, revealing that his son was born with a rare heart defect. He emphasized in a tearful monologue that “before ObamaCare, many people may not have been able to get health insurance if they had a preexisting health condition.”
Kimmel later dedicated numerous monologues to urging lawmakers to vote against healthcare reform, stating that Trump would “sign anything if it meant getting rid of ObamaCare” and suggesting that the then-president “did not even know what was in the bill” co-sponsored by Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Bill Cassidy (R-La).
