Jimmy Kimmel and President Donald Trump have had a contentious and highly publicized relationship over the years, with Kimmel frequently using his late-night platform to critique Trump’s policies and statements, while Trump has occasionally fired back through rallies, interviews, and social media, making their back-and-forth one of the most talked-about rivalries in late-night television.
In 2025, their beef has only intensified. After the cancellation of Kimmel's close friend and fellow talk-show host Stephen Colbert's late-night show in July, and Trump's gloating over the series getting the boot on Truth Social shortly after, Kimmel and Trump began trading barbs once again via social media. In his Truth Social post, Trump had even taken an aim at Kimmel, claiming that his late-night talk show will be canceled next.
Of course, Kimmel didn't just sit back and take the jab. On July 18, Kimmel fired back with a pointed Instagram post showing himself and his family at an anti-Trump protest, complete with shirts and signs mocking the president, while his caption hinted at controversies surrounding Trump. After this, Trump has only continued to escalate the feud, insisting Kimmel's ABC talk show is destined for cancellation.
With all of this going on, Kimmel has reportedly been preparing a backup plan, revealing in a recent podcast appearance that he has secured Italian citizenship. While he hasn’t indicated any immediate plans to leave the U.S., the move signals that Kimmel is thinking ahead, ensuring he has options if threats to his show ever make staying in the country difficult.
But while Trump is making his snide comments from time to time, Kimmel isn't holding back either. In a recent interview with Variety, Kimmel was asked about his overall opinion or perspective on politics today and Trump. He then responded by saying that he had recently seen footage of Trump getting booed at a WWE event, and the moment genuinely cheered him up. He added that if even wrestling fans are reacting that way, it might be a sign that more Americans are starting to see through the president’s antics.
"I saw him [Trump] get booed at the WWE event the other night, and it really cheered me up. Like, you know what? If Trump is getting booed at wrestling, America is starting to catch on."
Kimmel was most likely referring to the WWE SummerSlam 2025 event, where a video of Trump meeting WWE star Triple H at the White House was shown on the arena’s big screens, and the crowd loudly booed the president. This moment quickly went viral on social media. With this Variety article now circulating on the internet, there's a good chance Trump will clap back in his usual fashion soon. It's pretty much become a waiting game at this point.