Kimmel Fires Off Wicked Donald Trump Diss At Oscars 2026 Without Even Saying His Name

Host Jimmy Kimmel couldn't resist taking a shot at his longtime nemesis, President Donald Trump, and First Lady Melania Trump at the 98th Academy Awards on March 15, 2026. While presenting the trophy for best documentary feature, Kimmel — who has been feuding with Donald since at least 2017 — fired shots at the president over the widely panned "Melania" documentary in a not-so-subtle diss. "Oh man, is he going to be mad his wife wasn't nominated for this," Kimmel quipped (via X, formerly known as Twitter), drawing cheers and laughter from the audience. The late-night host also appeared to roast the first lady while announcing the nominees for best documentary short.

Jimmy Kimmel presenting Best Documentary Feature at the Oscars: "Oh man, is he going to be mad his wife wasn't nominated for this." pic.twitter.com/tWM48GiuQ2

— LateNighter (@latenightercom) March 16, 2026

"As you know, there are some countries whose leaders don't support free speech. I'm not at liberty to say which, but let's just leave it at North Korea and CBS," Kimmel slyly noted (via X). He was, of course, referring to CBS' controversial decision to axe "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" after the host spoke out against the network and the president. Noting that there are fortunately a community of filmmakers who aren't afraid to speak the truth and inspire change, Kimmel took aim at "Melania" by pointing out, "And there are also documentaries where you walk around the White House trying on shoes." 

His comments elicited a wide range of reactions on social media. Some users thought he was hilarious, while others just rolled their eyes. "Best joke of the night," one X user gushed, while another accused Kimmel of being obsessed with the Trumps: "Imagine letting one man and his family completely overrun your mind for over a decade... It's mental psychosis at this point." Others couldn't wait to see how the POTUS would respond once he caught wind of it.

Jimmy Kimmel's Oscars roast came just a few months after he blasted Donald Trump at the 2026 Critics Choice Awards, in January. While taking the stage to accept the gong for best comedy show, Kimmel made his disdain for the president crystal clear with a sarcastic nod for helping make his show successful. "I want to thank our president, Donald Jennifer Trump, without whom we would be going home empty handed tonight. So thank you, Mr. President, for all the many ridiculous things you do each and every day," he remarked (via X). Kimmel's speech notably followed a brief suspension, after MAGA backlash to his comments about Charlie Kirk's murder. Kimmel added, "It's been a banner couple of weeks, and we can't wait to get back on the air tomorrow night to talk about them." 

And yet, even after facing disciplinary action, the late-night host hasn't shied away from speaking out against Trump. The feeling is certainly mutual for the divisive politician, who has openly talked trash and traded barbs with Kimmel as well. "Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done. Kimmel has ZERO talent, and worse ratings than even [Stephen] Colbert, if that's possible," Trump raged on his Truth Social platform. Needless to say, he wasn't too happy when ABC decided to reinstate "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" after an almost one-week suspension. 

He lashed out at Kimmel for being "Democrat GARBAGE" and threatened to take ABC to court over their decision. "Let's see how we do. Last time I went after them, they gave me $16 Million Dollars. This one sounds even more lucrative," Trump snarked. "A true bunch of losers! Let Jimmy Kimmel rot in his bad Ratings."