Jimmy Kimmel isn’t backing down from his back-and-forth with Donald Trump.
The late-night host fired off another jab after the President demanded he be taken off air, this time comparing Trump to the unlikely monarch in the 1991 comedy “King Ralph.”
The dig lands in the middle of an escalating feud that erupted after Kimmel joked about Melania Trump being an “expectant widow.” That line drew sharp backlash for the host of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” especially in the wake of a recent security scare at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
Kimmel has since defended his remark as a “light roast,” but his latest swipe at Trump suggests he’s far from done trading punches.
Jimmy Kimmel Mocks Trump With ‘King Ralph’ Joke
Kimmel took fresh aim after Trump suggested he could be related to King Charles, pointing to a report that claimed a possible distant link to the royal family.
The comedian zeroed in on the absurdity of the claim, comparing it to the premise of the 1991 comedy “King Ralph,” where an average American unexpectedly becomes King of England after the royal family dies in an accident.
“You know, this idea that Trump might be the King’s distant cousin is exactly the plot of ‘King Ralph,’” Kimmel joked during a recent episode of his show. “Look it up. It’s spot on.”
Trump Calls For Kimmel To Be Fired
The jab also comes after Trump previously called for Kimmel to be taken off the air. The comedian had sparked outrage during an earlier monologue when he described Melania Trump as “having the glow of an expectant widow.”
The President didn’t hold back in his response, taking to Truth Social to slam the remark as a “despicable call to violence” while urging ABC executives to immediately fire the late-night host. This isn’t a one-off for Trump, either, who has repeatedly gone after late-night hosts he believes are politically biased.
The former reality TV host has previously targeted Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Fallon with similar criticism, accusing them of unfair coverage.
Melania Trump Also Criticized Jimmy Kimmel
Melania also weighed in, delivering a scathing response to Kimmel on social media.
“His words are corrosive and deepen the political sickness within America,” she wrote on X. “People like Kimmel shouldn’t have the opportunity to enter our homes each evening to spread hate.”
The former model didn’t stop there, going on to label the comedian a coward while calling out ABC for continuing to shield him.
“Enough is enough. It is time for ABC to take a stand. How many times will ABC’s leadership enable Kimmel’s atrocious behavior at the expense of our community?” she added.
Jimmy Kimmel Responds To Trump, Melania Criticism
Kimmel later addressed the backlash from Trump and Melania on his show. The controversy intensified after a shooting scare at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, an event both the President and his wife attended.
Kimmel, however, insisted the remark was never meant to be taken literally or as anything sinister.
“It obviously was a joke about their age difference and the look of joy we see on her face every time they’re together,” he said.
The comedian doubled down on that defense, calling it a “very light roast joke” and pointing out the significant age gap between the couple as the simple premise behind the bit.
George Clooney Defends Jimmy Kimmel Amid Backlash
Support for Kimmel has been mixed. Online, reactions were divided, with some backing the late-night host while others sided with Trump and Melania, echoing calls for his dismissal.
Offline, Kimmel found a high-profile defender in George Clooney, who spoke out while attending the 51st Chaplin Award Gala, per Variety.
“Jimmy’s a comedian, and I would argue that [WH Press Secretary] Karoline Leavitt didn’t mean shots should be fired,” Clooney said, suggesting both remarks should be viewed as jokes rather than weaponized.
“She was making a joke. Fair enough. You look at that side and go, ‘Well, jokes are jokes.’ But the rhetoric is a little dangerous. And we’ve seen it a lot lately,” he added.