Kimmel labels Trump an 'old-fashioned bully' in monologue
Late-night host frames the dispute as personal, invoking a 'Back to the Future' analogy as Trump pressures networks
In a Wednesday night monologue, Jimmy Kimmel said his problems with President Donald Trump go beyond politics, calling him a bully and saying he dislikes bullies. He addressed Trump supporters who want him off air because of jokes about the president.
Kimmel described Trump as an old-fashioned '80s-movie-style bully' who would take lunch money and more, using a extended metaphor about a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, a note in a lunchbox, and a locker. He said, "This is Donald Trump. He does it to everyone." He compared cheering for Trump to backing the bully Biff Tannen in Back to the Future and said he preferred Marty McFly.
Trump has attacked late-night hosts for jokes about him and, during his first term, reportedly tried to have Kimmel censored; he attacked the hosts on the campaign trail last year, and last summer celebrated the news that Stephen Colbert had been canceled, signaling that others would be next.
A day earlier, Trump threatened ABC for allowing Kimmel back on the air, in what federal critics described as a public confrontation over airtime and perceived fairness in late-night coverage. The exchange underscores broader tensions between the White House and the media during a saturated news cycle.
The remarks come as the political climate intensifies around media coverage and the White House’s relationship with broadcast networks, with Kimmel's comments adding to a long-running exchange over how political leaders engage with critics on late-night television.