Jimmy Kimmel may be the public face in his feud with President Donald Trump, but the consequences stretch far beyond late-night TV. Molly McNearney, his wife and head writer at Jimmy Kimmel Live!, opened up about the toll Trump's presidency is taking on their family life.
Speaking on the We Can Do Hard Things podcast, McNearney shared that her husband’s outspoken criticism of Trump and his policies has put her in an increasingly difficult position, both professionally and personally. She discussed how Trump supporters in their extended families have affected her:
"It hurts me so much because of the personal relationship I now have where my husband is out there fighting this man. To me, them voting for Trump is them not voting for my husband and me and our family. And I unfortunately have kind of lost relationships with people in my family because of it."
McNearney said her struggle goes even goes beyond just Donald Trump. Raised in what she described as “a very conservative, Republican” household, she noted that her values once aligned with many of her relatives. But she now finds herself in what she called “constant conflict” over what the modern Republican Party represents.
"This is not just Republican versus Democrat for me anymore. It is to me family values, and it's really hard for me because I grew up believing in these Christian ideals of taking care of the sick and taking care of the poor. I don’t see that happening with this Republican party, so I feel like I'm kind of in constant conflict, and I'm angry all the time, which isn’t healthy at all."
The experiences described by McNearney aren't unique to her as a late-night TV producer with a celebrity husband. Many families across the country have dealt with similar issues under increasingly polarizing political climate. But for her, those tensions are amplified by her and Kimmel’s high-profile roles in late-night television, where politics have more frequently blurred the lines with entertainment.
Jimmy Kimmel has tried reaching out to the other side
Kimmel has become a leading voice speaking out against the Trump administration. Trump's first term had a few surreal moments when it became clear that the president was watching and commenting on late-night TV performances. However, things have reached a new level during Trump 2.0, especially for Kimmel.
The comedian's job was on the line last month when ABC suspended him for comments about Charlie Kirk. President Trump celebrated the decision, and there seemed to be mounting political pressure to keep Kimmel off the air permanently. The fact that Trump actively campaigned for Kimmel and the entire Jimmy Kimmel Live! staff to lose their jobs obviously doesn't sit well with McNearney.
For his part, Kimmel has tried to take different approaches when it comes to friendship and relationships with those he disagrees with politically. The comedian rose to prominence co-hosting The Man Show with Adam Carolla, and the pair remain friends despite holding opposing political views. And in the lead-up to the 2024 election, Kimmel did his best to reach out to Republican voters and discourage them from putting Donald Trump back in office.
Clearly, that didn't work and Kimmel found himself right back to discussing Trump on a nightly basis. Only now, the consequences have stretched far beyond late-night TV ratings or the normal things that should concern a host. McNearney pulled back the curtain to show the emotional cost of taking such a public stand, something too many viewers have experienced on both sides.