The battle between late-night comedy and politics just got even hotter. Jimmy Kimmel is once again in the spotlight after President Donald Trump took a swipe at the television host and comedian, hinting that ABC should cancel his late-night talk show next. The jab came shortly after the shocking cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on July 17. Now, Kimmel is firing back in classic fashion as he addresses Trump’s remarks head-on via social media.
Following The Late Show with Stephen Colbert's cancellation, Trump gloated on his social media platform (Truth Social) on July 18, saying he was happy Colbert got fired and took the opportunity to insult another late-night host, Kimmel, by suggesting that Kimmel’s show will be canceled next because he “has even less talent” than Colbert. He even snuck in a jab at Jimmy Fallon without mentioning him by name, calling him "the Moron on NBC who ruined the once great Tonight Show."
Kimmel, not one to be silent when it comes to political jabs or controversies, wasted no time responding. In a pointed Instagram post posted on July 18, the comedian shared a photo of himself and his family at an anti-Trump protest during their summer vacation, all donning anti-Trump shirts and holding signs with messages like “Don’t bend the knee” and “I wish we had a better president!” Alongside the photo, Kimmel included a not-so-subtle caption: “May every day be another wonderful secret." This is a sharp reference to a controversial letter Trump allegedly wrote to Jeffrey Epstein.
Although Kimmel doesn’t directly name Trump in the post, it underscores his strong opposition to the president and his administration, indicating that he’s ready to keep speaking out regardless of any criticism. Kimmel and Trump have a long history of trading insults. This is just the latest round in their ongoing public feud, with both men using their platforms to take shots at each other. With Kimmel's latest Instagram post, there's a good chance the verbal sparring will continue to escalate. Trump is probably already planning his next public response as we speak.
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert was canceled under suspicious timing. According to People, the late-night show is No. 1 in its time slot and it had just received an Emmy nomination. So, why was it given the boot? Well, the cancellation came just days after Colbert criticized CBS’s parent company, Paramount, for settling a $16 million deal involving Trump’s presidential library. This timing raised speculation that the decision was politically motivated, although CBS has officially denied this and stated that it was purely financial.
More content to check out on Last Night On below: