Former President Donald Trump continued his pattern of direct engagement with media figures this week, escalating a public dispute with ABC and comedian Jimmy kimmel following remarks made on KimmelS late-night program.The exchange, which included a demand from Trump that Kimmel be “fired,” underscores a broader and increasingly contentious dynamic between the former president and several outlets-and individual journalists-critical of his governance and ongoing legal battles.This latest instance follows earlier criticism directed at ABC White House correspondent Mary Bruce and the release of a detailed list of grievances from the Trump campaign regarding the network’s coverage.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump has escalated his public feud with ABC and comedian Jimmy Kimmel, calling for the network to “fire this slob” in a social media post following Wednesday’s broadcast of Kimmel’s late-night show. The escalating conflict highlights the increasingly contentious relationship between the former president and segments of the American media.
The latest outburst from Trump follows earlier criticism this week directed at Mary Bruce, ABC’s chief White House correspondent, over questions she posed during a meeting in the Oval Office. The Trump administration responded by issuing a 17-point list detailing grievances against ABC News.
Trump’s attack on Kimmel came two months after ABC temporarily suspended the comedian following remarks made in the wake of an incident involving a Republican activist. The suspension was lifted after widespread backlash.
Kimmel’s show on Wednesday opened with a scathing monologue targeting Trump, with the first ten minutes dedicated to the former president’s connections to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and a recent Congressional vote concerning the release of documents related to their correspondence. Kimmel emphasized that the country was closely following the unfolding “Epstein hurricane.”
“We’re getting closer and closer to answering the question: what did the president know, and how old were these women when he knew it?” Kimmel remarked, echoing the famous question posed by Senator Howard Baker Jr. during the Watergate scandal in the 1970s.
Trump fired back on his Truth Social platform at 12:49 AM. “Why does ABC Fake News continue to have Jimmy Kimmel, a very untalented and LOW-RATED person?” Trump wrote. “Why do the networks let him get away with it?”
SCREEN CAPTURE FROM DONALD TRUMP’S TRUTH SOCIAL ACCOUNT
ABC stated it would not comment on Trump’s statement regarding Kimmel, whose viewership has reportedly increased since his return to the air in September. While Trump links Kimmel to ABC News, Kimmel works within the network’s entertainment division.
Jimmy Kimmel is not the only late-night host to draw Trump’s ire. The former president also called for the firing of Seth Meyers, of NBC, over the weekend.
The Epstein matter was one of three topics Bruce, of ABC, raised during Tuesday’s press briefing. Trump labeled her a “terrible journalist,” adding he disliked her attitude. The former president appeared particularly agitated by questions related to the Epstein case, and last week likened Bloomberg News reporter Catherine Lucey to a pig during a question-and-answer session aboard Air Force One.
On Wednesday, the White House press office released a letter outlining its grievances against ABC News, some of which dated back to the beginning of Trump’s presidency.
“ABC ‘News’ is not journalism,” the press office stated. “It’s a Democratic propaganda operation disguised as a television network.”
