Robert De Niro makes surprise cameo on Jimmy Kimmel’s comeback with four-minute anti-MAGA Trump skit

Robert De Niro made a surprise return to late-night television on Jimmy Kimmel's comeback show Tuesday night, appearing in a four-minute sketch that lampooned Donald Trump and the politics of free speech. The Academy Award-winning actor, 82, adopted the persona of Federal Communications Commissioner Brendan Carr and delivered mafioso-style lines as he and Kimmel sparred over what counts as acceptable speech and how the FCC might police it.

The gag began with Kimmel asking whether the fictional commissioner had been appointed by Trump, prompting De Niro to riff that he had “worked for the man here and in Atlantic City” and to lay out a parody of an agency that enforces speech standards with threats and fines. The sketch leaned into a running premise that free expression comes at a price, with De Niro asserting that “free speech is no longer free” and jokes about charging for words depending on their target. The bit included a punchline about the idea of the FCC taxing jokes about the president, and even a sly reference to a leaky notion of travel perks once associated with old NYC circles. The back-and-forth underscored a satirical view of power wielded through language policing on broadcast and social platforms.

Lining the performance with his signature hard-edged persona, De Niro peppered the exchange with a mob-boss cadence while Kimmel played along, portraying a host who must navigate a regulator's demands without losing the humor. The exchange included lines that toyed with the tension between satire and censorship, such as a reminder that content could be fined or halted if deemed inappropriate by a fictional commission. The sketch leveraged the familiar tension between a late-night host and a government regulator, transferring it into a stylized, performative confrontation that stayed within the realm of parody.

The appearance follows De Niro's long history of outspoken opposition to Trump. He has been among the most vocal Hollywood critics of the president, including caustic remarks during the 2016 campaign. Trump responded at times by describing De Niro as part of a broader pattern of opposition and noting the actor’s frequent public disagreements with him. The segment on Kimmel’s show arrived amid ongoing conversations about political speech in entertainment and the role of comedians when figures in power become targets of satire.

Kimmel’s comeback episode came after a week in which the host faced controversy related to MAGA supporters and political discussions on air. The program had briefly paused earlier in the week amid commentary surrounding supporters of the former president, a moment that underscored the heightened sensitivity around political satire on late-night television in a polarized climate. The De Niro sketch was designed as a light, performative piece that nevertheless leaned into topical lines about Trump, free speech, and the media landscape in which both politicians and comedians operate.

Beyond the studio spotlight, De Niro remains a prominent figure in film and culture, continuing to attend major events and film premieres. He appeared at Cannes in May 2025, part of the ongoing visibility that keeps him at the center of conversations about culture, fame, and politics. The actor’s public persona—unflinching, candid, and often provocative—has long shaped debates about how entertainment intersects with public life in the United States, and the Trump era has only intensified that dynamic.