ENTERTAINMENTJimmy Kimmel Says His Kids Know Donald Trump Hates Their Dad — and They Call the President a 'Villain'
,Jimmy Kimmel and Molly McNearney's kids know the president isn't a fan of their father.
Aug. 24 2026, Published 4:39 p.m. ET
Jimmy Kimmel and his wife, Molly McNearney, discussed on Dax Shepard’s “Armchair Expert” podcast how their children are well aware that President Donald Trump harbors a deep dislike for their father.
During their appearance on the show, the couple talked about raising kids while navigating a very public feud with the president.
As Kimmel and McNearney described evading paparazzi and helicopters hovering over their house following the show's temporary suspension, Shepard engaged them in the sheer logistics and stress of navigating high-stakes media frenzies around young children.
'Is This Donald Trump's Fault?'
Jimmy Kimmel and Molly McNearney had to explain to their children why media and helicopters were swarming their home amid his show's suspension.
The couple explained that they previously had to sit their children down to explain why the media and helicopters had converged on their home during intense public flare-ups.
They openly discussed how to navigate family life while raising children who know the sitting president as their family's chief antagonist.
The couple revealed that their children asked, “Is this Donald Trump’s fault?”
Jimmy Kimmel's Kids Picture Donald Trump as a 'Villain'
Jimmy Kimmel and his wife told their kids to 'remember that your dad and his show were on the right side of history.'
Kimmel and McNearney confirmed to their children that Trump was responsible. They told them, "Remember that your dad and his show were on the right side of history."
When their children asked about the situation, they connected the drama to Trump, whom the kids humorously view as an antagonistic "villain" figure, likening him to Dr. Evil from the Austin Powers movies.
Shepard laughed along with the bizarre reality of having a sitting president serve as a household's personalized villain, noting how surreal and cartoonish it is to raise kids in an environment where the conflict feels like something out of a comic book.
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'I Can Sell My LEGO Blocks to Help'
Jimmy Kimmel's daughter offered to sell her LEGO blocks after their dad's job was suspended.
When they told their children that their father’s show was in jeopardy, their daughter broke down crying, saying, “I can sell my LEGO blocks to help.”
While they find the comedic absurdity in their kids recognizing their dad's primary political foil, they acknowledged it can also feel surreal and a bit scary to navigate as parents.
The late-night host, 58, has four children from two marriages.
Jimmy Kimmel and Wife Begged Family Not to Vote for Donald Trump
Jimmy Kimmel and Molly McNearney experienced friction between family members who supported Donald Trump.
The children he referred to in the podcast are those he has with McNearney — Jane, 12, and William, 9. He has two adult children from his first marriage to Gina Maddy — Katie, 34, and Kevin, 32.
McNearney, the 48-year-old co-head writer and executive producer of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, also noted that the political tension has spilled beyond late-night television and divided their extended family.
She previously noted sending numerous emails begging Trump-supporting family members not to vote for him. On the pod, they touched on the ongoing friction of dealing with people who choose "deliberate distortion over simple disagreement."
