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Jan 05, 2026

Jimmy Kimmel Fires Back After Trump Demands His Cancellation Over Explosive Epstein Jokes: “You Can’t Cancel Me Twice, Donnie—Try Something New.”

Jimmy Kimmel Fires Back At Donald Trump After POTUS Hinted ABC Late-Night Show Would Be Canceled: "I'm Hearing You're Next"

Jimmy Kimmel has never backed down from a fight with Donald Trump — and after the president demanded once again that ABC pull Kimmel off the air following his scorching monologue about Trump’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein, the late-night host delivered a blistering on-air response that sent his studio audience into a frenzy and ricocheted across social media in minutes. Kimmel didn’t just mock Trump. He humiliated him, dismantled him, and delivered a rebuttal so sharp that even his crew visibly braced themselves.

 

Trump’s outrage came after Kimmel opened his show with a monologue comparing the political storm over the impending release of the Epstein files to “Hurricane Epstein,” joking, “It is a Category 5. We are one step closer to answering the question: what did the president know, and how old were these women when he knew it?” The crowd roared, and the jokes only escalated from there. Kimmel brought up the congressional vote — 427 to 1 — to force the release of the long-withheld files, teasing that the landslide was so massive that Trump “might actually be able to re-bury the Epstein files under it.” When he pointed out that Trump historically responds to bills by “declaring bankruptcy and not paying them,” the audience howled.

 

That was the moment Trump reportedly “lost it,” according to staffers who leaked screenshots of his furious late-night messages demanding ABC take action. He raged that Kimmel was “lying,” “slandering,” and “inciting harassment,” and insisted the network “shut him down immediately.” It was the same demand Trump has made before — at the Oscars, after the Oscars, during the 2020 election, during 2021, and nearly every time Kimmel roasted him. The difference this time was the timing: the Epstein files are closer than ever to being released, and Trump’s anxiety was visible in every frantic message.

 

Jimmy Kimmel Returns to Late Night

When news broke that Trump wanted Kimmel canceled yet again, the late-night host didn’t wait a day. He opened the next show with a grin so sly it made the audience erupt before he even spoke. “Well,” he said, rubbing his hands together, “I guess congratulations are in order. Donald Trump is calling for me to be fired again. That’s what — the 14th time? 15th? Honestly, I’ve lost count. My cancellation punch card is full at this point.”

 

The room was already shaking with laughter when Kimmel leaned into the camera. “Donnie, you can’t cancel me twice. You tried that already. You failed. You tried again. Still failed. At this point, you’re basically the Wile E. Coyote of cancellation attempts. You keep ordering new ACME products to drop on my head, and every time you’re the one who gets flattened.”

He paused, as if remembering something. “Actually, I think I owe you an apology. I’ve been saying for years you don’t read books, but clearly you’re familiar with the dictionary — because nobody in history has tried harder to redefine the word ‘overreaction.’”

But Kimmel wasn’t done. The monologue sharpened like a blade.

“Trump says I should be taken off the air because I made jokes about Epstein,” he continued. “Donnie, people make jokes about you and Epstein the way people make jokes about peanut butter and jelly — because the pairing has been around forever. You bragged about knowing the guy. You partied with him. He said you were his ‘best friend.’ That is literally the only time in your life someone described you that way.”

The crowd exploded.

“Of course he wants the jokes stopped,” Kimmel added. “Every time someone mentions Epstein, Trump starts sweating like he’s about to be asked to read out loud.”

Then Kimmel repeated one of Trump’s alleged demands: “Fire him immediately — he’s attacking me during a national emergency.”

“A national emergency,” Kimmel said, blinking. “Yes, Donnie. The nation is absolutely reeling from the crisis of you being roasted on my show. FEMA has already dispatched emotional-support hamberders.”

Donald Trump urges Republicans to vote for release of Epstein files | US News | Sky News

He exaggerated a sigh. “At this rate, Trump’s going to sue me for emotional distress. I’ll get a letter from his lawyer: ‘Dear Mr. Kimmel, our client can no longer enjoy his daily routine of rage-scrolling Truth Social and eating ketchup packets in peace.’”

Kimmel then addressed Trump’s threat head-on.

“For real, Donnie — I’ll tell you what I told you last time you tried this: if you want me off the air, you’re going to have to run for president again. It’s the only thing that’s ever come close.”

He let the laughter settle before delivering the knockout.

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