PoliticsJimmy Kimmel Mocks Donald Trump by Bragging About His Ratings
Jimmy Kimmel mocked Donald Trump by thanking him for his ratings spike following an ongoing feud with the ratings-obsessed POTUS.
May 13 2026, Published 12:14 p.m. ET
In the midst of an ongoing feud with President Donald Trump, late-night host Jimmy Kimmel used his platform at the ABC Upfronts presentation to brag that his show’s viewership was up 25 percent among adults aged 18 to 49, sarcastically thanking "our partners in Washington" for driving the surge.
Nielsen data backed up the flex, revealing that Jimmy Kimmel Live! experienced major viewer spikes immediately following Trump's public demands for his firing.
“I’ve been through so much bulls--- this year, it actually made me appreciate this bulls---,” Kimmel said, referencing ABC pulling a new season of The Bachelorette over footage showing ex-Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Taylor Frankie Paul physically attacking her ex-boyfriend Dakota Mortensen in front of her child.
Jimmy Kimmel brought up his stellar ratings at the event.
“You see, in order for ABC to pull you off the air, you have to throw a chair at your Mormon boyfriend!” Kimmel quipped.
ABC and its parent company, Disney, suspended Kimmel's show indefinitely on September 17, 2025, following intense political backlash and government pressure over benign comments Kimmel made regarding the assassination of MAGA influencer Charlie Kirk.
The suspension was brief, lasting less than a week, and the show returned to the air on Tuesday, September 23, 2025.
His highly publicized return generated an all-time record of 6.3 million linear viewers and over 25 million digital views for a single monologue.
Donald Trump wants the late-night host fired.
Since then, the feud between Kimmel and the POTUS has ramped up, with Trump demanding ABC fire the host over a "widow" joke the comedian made about his wife, Melania, just days before the White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting.
The dispute, which has seen pressure from the administration on Disney, includes allegations of inciting violence and threats to FCC licenses.
“Yes, the president has tried to get me twice over the last six months. That’s one way to look at it,” Kimmel said in response to the Trumps’ renewed calls for his axing.
- Jimmy Kimmel and ABC Had 'Cordial' Meeting After Shocking Suspension But Didn't Come to a 'Resolution,' Insiders Spill: It's a 'Standoff'
- Jimmy Kimmel Thanks Rival Donald Trump for 2026 Critics Choice Win in Fiery Speech
- Jimmy Kimmel Chokes Up as He Makes His Big Return to His Late-Night Show Following ABC's Controversial Suspension Over Charlie Kirk Comments
Want OK! each day? Sign up here!
Jimmy Kimmel's 'widow' comment didn't go over well with the couple.
“Another way, you can also say I’ve generated unparalleled engagement across a variety of platforms,” the host said regarding views on social media and streaming, as well as traditional TV.
He continued, with a nod to Donald, “Largely thanks to our partners in Washington, we are up 25 percent. It’s a good deal to have the numbers go up nowadays.”
The host's ratings have gone up amid his feud with the president.
Jimmy joked that had talk show titan Johnny Carson had his ratings, things would have been a bit different.
“With that said, if Johnny Carson woke up one day with my ratings, he had gone straight under the sink and took all the Drano," he said.
According to ratings tracker LateNighter, Jimmy’s ratings rise after Donald insults him.
