Trump's Fragile Ego Sent Spiraling Before Jimmy Kimmel Uttered A Word In His Late-Night Return

Donald Trump did not take Jimmy Kimmel's return well and unleashed a strongly worded rant about the late-night host. "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" had another brush with being canceled, this time after the comedian made controversial remarks about how members of the MAGA crew responded to the death of Charlie Kirk. This led to an indefinite suspension of the show on September 17. At the time, the president used the news as an opportunity to gloat over his late-night nemesis. "Great News for America: The ratings challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is CANCELLED," Trump wrote on Truth Social before applauding ABC's decision to suspend the show.

Obviously, POTUS conflated Kimmel's suspension with being outright canceled, as he was aghast on September 23 when he learned that "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" was returning to air. Trump took to Truth Social to lambast the decision. "I can't believe ABC Fake News gave Jimmy Kimmel his job back. The White House was told by ABC that his Show was cancelled!" he wrote, just before Kimmel and his crew hit the airwaves. "Why would they want someone back who does so poorly, who's not funny, and who puts the Network in jeopardy by playing 99% positive Democrat GARBAGE," Trump added in his rant.

In addition to blasting Kimmel, the president inferred that he could possibly take legal action against ABC for allowing the show to return. "I think we're going to test ABC out on this ... Last time I went after them, they gave me $16 Million Dollars," he added, referencing a lawsuit the network settled with him out of court in December 2024. Again, this online tirade came before "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" had even aired. During his return, Kimmel made his hatred for Trump clear with some scathing remarks that surely ruffled Trump's feathers. 

Jimmy Kimmel roasted Donald Trump yet again during a lengthy 28-minute monologue in his triumphant return. The late-night host made jokes that would likely have the president seething. "You almost have to feel sorry for him. He tried his best to cancel me. Instead, he forced millions of people to watch the show," Kimmel said on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" when it returned on September 23. "He might have to release the Epstein files to distract us from this," the comedian jokingly added.

There were also segments of the monologue that weren't aimed at getting laughs, as some of Kimmel's jabs at Trump had a serious tone. "Our leader celebrates Americans losing their livelihoods because he can't take a joke," the "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" host said. "We have to speak out against this stuff because he's not stopping, and it's not just comedy," he added.

That wasn't the first time Trump and Kimmel exchanged barbs over his possible cancellation. After "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" was cancelled in July, Trump took to Truth Social to celebrate, and also take aim at Kimmel. "The word is, and it's a strong word at that, Jimmy Kimmel is NEXT to go in the untalented Late Night Sweepstakes," he wrote at the time. The Truth Social post did not go unnoticed by Kimmel, who posted a screenshot of it on his Instagram page. Kimmel took the opportunity to needle the president in the caption. "I'm hearing you're next. Or maybe it's just another wonderful secret," he wrote. The "another wonderful secret" phrase referred to an alleged message Trump wrote to Jeffrey Epstein in a birthday letter in 2003, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal.