Jimmy Kimmel’s long-standing feud with President Donald Trump has taken a dramatic turn. The late-night host revealed on The Sarah Silverman Podcast that he has officially obtained Italian citizenship — a move he partly sees as a “contingency plan” should the United States’ political environment under Trump become unbearable.
“What’s going on [with Trump] is as bad as you thought it was gonna be,” Kimmel told his former partner and fellow comedian Sarah Silverman. “It’s so much worse; it’s just unbelievable. I feel like it’s probably even worse than he would like it to be.”
Kimmel admitted that he’s not the only one weighing an international relocation. “A lot of people I know are thinking about where they’re going to get citizenship,” Silverman noted during their conversation.
A Consistent Trump Critic
Kimmel has never hidden his disdain for Trump. From Trump’s first 100 days in office to his current term, the Jimmy Kimmel Live! host has taken aim at the administration’s policies and perceived inefficiencies. “It’s difficult to give Trump’s first 100 days a grade, but if I had to I’d say it falls somewhere between F and U,” he joked in an earlier monologue.
His regular lampooning of Trump has at times sparked retaliation. According to Rolling Stone, Trump has publicly threatened to cancel Jimmy Kimmel Live — suggesting it could be next after CBS pulled The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Kimmel responded on-air, quipping, “I’m hearing you’re next. Or maybe it’s just another wonderful secret,” referencing a Wall Street Journal report about a letter Trump once sent to Jeffrey Epstein.
Joining Other Celebrities Who Left After Trump’s Re-Election
If Kimmel were to make the move abroad, he wouldn’t be alone. Stars like Rosie O’Donnell and Ellen DeGeneres have already left the U.S. after Trump defeated Vice President Kamala Harris in last November’s election. O’Donnell has said she has no intention of returning, citing political instability and concerns for her child’s safety.
Kimmel, however, continues to film his show for ABC — for now. His Italian citizenship, he admits, offers him a potential “way out” if the political situation worsens.
Keeping the Door Open for Change
Kimmel also used the podcast appearance to address a cultural trend he finds troubling: shutting out those who reconsider their political stances. Citing the backlash toward Joe Rogan for questioning Trump’s policies after initially supporting him, Kimmel argued that it’s important to welcome people willing to admit they were wrong.
“The door has to stay open,” Kimmel said. “If you want to change your mind, that’s so hard to do. If you want to admit you were wrong, that is so hard and so rare to do. You are welcome to do so.”
While there’s no official confirmation that Kimmel will leave the country, his new Italian passport suggests he’s prepared — just in case the late-night jokes stop being enough to cope with America’s political reality.
“What’s going on [with Trump] is as bad as you thought it was gonna be,” Kimmel told his former partner and fellow comedian Sarah Silverman. “It’s so much worse; it’s just unbelievable. I feel like it’s probably even worse than he would like it to be.”
Kimmel admitted that he’s not the only one weighing an international relocation. “A lot of people I know are thinking about where they’re going to get citizenship,” Silverman noted during their conversation.
See Ya!
— Conservative Brief (@ConservBrief) August 9, 2025
Late night host Jimmy Kimmel announces he has secured Italian citizenship - declares Donald Trump's presidency is "so much worse" than he ever imagined.
Can we hope he will ACTUALLY leave the country? pic.twitter.com/Q1cPTRlcg1
A Consistent Trump Critic
Kimmel has never hidden his disdain for Trump. From Trump’s first 100 days in office to his current term, the Jimmy Kimmel Live! host has taken aim at the administration’s policies and perceived inefficiencies. “It’s difficult to give Trump’s first 100 days a grade, but if I had to I’d say it falls somewhere between F and U,” he joked in an earlier monologue.
His regular lampooning of Trump has at times sparked retaliation. According to Rolling Stone, Trump has publicly threatened to cancel Jimmy Kimmel Live — suggesting it could be next after CBS pulled The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Kimmel responded on-air, quipping, “I’m hearing you’re next. Or maybe it’s just another wonderful secret,” referencing a Wall Street Journal report about a letter Trump once sent to Jeffrey Epstein.
Joining Other Celebrities Who Left After Trump’s Re-Election
If Kimmel were to make the move abroad, he wouldn’t be alone. Stars like Rosie O’Donnell and Ellen DeGeneres have already left the U.S. after Trump defeated Vice President Kamala Harris in last November’s election. O’Donnell has said she has no intention of returning, citing political instability and concerns for her child’s safety.
Kimmel, however, continues to film his show for ABC — for now. His Italian citizenship, he admits, offers him a potential “way out” if the political situation worsens.
Keeping the Door Open for Change
Kimmel also used the podcast appearance to address a cultural trend he finds troubling: shutting out those who reconsider their political stances. Citing the backlash toward Joe Rogan for questioning Trump’s policies after initially supporting him, Kimmel argued that it’s important to welcome people willing to admit they were wrong.
“The door has to stay open,” Kimmel said. “If you want to change your mind, that’s so hard to do. If you want to admit you were wrong, that is so hard and so rare to do. You are welcome to do so.”
While there’s no official confirmation that Kimmel will leave the country, his new Italian passport suggests he’s prepared — just in case the late-night jokes stop being enough to cope with America’s political reality.
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