In the ongoing political theater of modern America, the feud between Donald Trump and late-night host Jimmy Kimmel has become a recurring storyline. The latest chapter, however, revealed a particularly telling sequence of events, highlighting how a fragile ego can sometimes spiral out of control—all before the intended target even says a word.
It all started when ABC made the decision to suspend “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” indefinitely on September 17th following controversial remarks the comedian made. For former President Trump, watching a longtime critic face professional jeopardy was an opportunity he couldn’t resist. He took to Truth Social almost immediately, celebrating what he believed was a permanent victory. “Great News for America: The ratings challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is CANCELLED,” he wrote, applauding the network’s move. The key detail here, which would soon become important, was Trump’s conflation of a “suspension” with being outright “canceled.”
The Unraveling: When a Suspension Isn’t a Cancellation
The celebration was short-lived. Just days later, on September 23rd, it was announced that Kimmel’s show would be returning to the airwaves. The news clearly hit a nerve. In a preemptive rant on Truth Social posted just before the show was set to begin broadcasting, Trump’s frustration was palpable. “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.
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The message revealed a sense of personal betrayal and perhaps a touch of confusion over the distinction between a temporary suspension and a permanent cancellation. He continued his tirade, questioning the network’s logic: “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.” What’s most striking is that this entire outburst occurred *before* Kimmel had uttered a single word in his return monologue. The spiral was triggered not by a new joke, but simply by the fact that his nemesis was being allowed back on television.
Legal Threats and a Lengthy Grudge
Not content with just expressing his anger, Trump hinted at potential legal action, a familiar tactic in his repertoire. “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 previous lawsuit. This pre-show meltdown set the stage perfectly for Kimmel’s return, handing the host a wealth of material before he even stepped on stage.
Kimmel’s Calculated Response
When Kimmel finally did return, he didn’t hold back. In a lengthy 28-minute monologue, he addressed the elephant in the room with a mix of humor and gravity. “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 quipped, turning Trump’s attack into a ratings boast. He even joked, “He might have to release the Epstein files to distract us from this,” a pointed reference to a persistent controversy surrounding the former president.
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But some of his comments carried a more serious tone. “Our leader celebrates Americans losing their livelihoods because he can’t take a joke,” Kimmel stated, adding, “We have to speak out against this stuff because he’s not stopping, and it’s not just comedy.”
This recent skirmish is just one incident in a long-standing feud. When Stephen Colbert’s show was canceled earlier in the summer, Trump had similarly taken a victory lap and predicted Kimmel would be “NEXT.” Kimmel had fired back on Instagram at the time, needling Trump with a reference to the alleged Jeffrey Epstein birthday letter by writing, “I’m hearing you’re next. Or maybe it’s just another wonderful secret.”
The entire episode serves as a perfect microcosm of their dynamic. It demonstrates how a perceived slight, or even just a professional setback for a critic, can trigger a very public, preemptive reaction—one that often backfires by providing more ammunition for the very person it aims to target.
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