--- title: Jimmy Kimmel References Epstein in Almighty Row With Trump description: “The word is, and it’s a strong word at that, Kimmel is next to go in the untalented late-night sweepstakes," Trump claimed on Tuesday. canonical: https://time.com/7303804/trump-late-night-tv-threat-jimmy-kimmel-epstein-row/ author: Rebecca Schneid article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2025-07-19T20:09:32.000Z article:modified_time: 2025-08-23T17:06:55.000Z article:section: Politics og:title: Jimmy Kimmel References Epstein in Row With Trump og:description: “The word is, Kimmel is next to go in the untalented late-night sweepstakes," Trump claimed on Tuesday. og:url: https://time.com/7303804/trump-late-night-tv-threat-jimmy-kimmel-epstein-row/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltbb18ed262e932974/6998c86066d4e3adfecbca9b/GettyImages-501759342.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 3000 og:image:height: 1688 og:image:alt: ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" - Season 13 og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Jimmy Kimmel References Epstein in Row With Trump twitter:description: “The word is, Kimmel is next to go in the untalented late-night sweepstakes," Trump claimed on Tuesday. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltbb18ed262e932974/6998c86066d4e3adfecbca9b/GettyImages-501759342.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Jimmy Kimmel References Epstein as He Speaks Out Against Trump, Who Warns He's 'Next' in Late-Night TV Cancellations > Sponsored content. 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Brief is TIME's Washington newsletter, written by senior correspondent Philip Elliott. It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, three times a week. It reaches 85,000 subscribers with a 37.0% open rate as of August 2026. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters.  by [Rebecca Schneid](https://time.com/author/rebecca-schneid/)  ## Rebecca Schneid Reporter Updated: Aug 23, 2025 5:06 PM UTCPublished: Jul 19, 2025 8:09 PM UTC  President Donald Trump is pictured here with Jimmy Kimmel during a 2015 appearance on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' President Donald Trump is pictured here with Jimmy Kimmel during a 2015 appearance on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' Randy Holmes/Disney General Entertainment Content—Getty Images  by [Rebecca Schneid](https://time.com/author/rebecca-schneid/)  ## Rebecca Schneid Reporter Updated: Aug 23, 2025 5:06 PM UTCPublished: Jul 19, 2025 8:09 PM UTC Jimmy Kimmel is once again fighting back against [President Donald Trump](https://time.com/7280106/trump-interview-100-days-2025/) amid the fallout over the [cancellation](https://time.com/7303604/stephen-colbert-cancellation-late-night-comedy/) of his fellow late-night TV talk show host Stephen Colbert’s program. The back-and-forth row between Kimmel and Trump was reignited on Tuesday after the latter took to his social media platform and repeated claims that Kimmel is “next” on the late-night TV chopping block. “The word is, and it’s a strong word at that, Jimmy Kimmel is NEXT to go in the untalented late night sweepstakes and, shortly thereafter, \[Jimmy\] Fallon will be gone,” [Trump claimed](https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114897600777919524) via Truth Social. “These are people with absolutely no talent, who were paid millions of dollars for, in all cases, destroying what used to be great television. It’s really good to see them go, and I hope I played a major part in it!" Kimmel was quick to respond, sharing a screenshot of Trump’s post on his own [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/p/DMaq0CjxJZH/) account. In a damning caption, the TV host wrote: “I’m hearing you’re next. Or maybe it’s just another wonderful secret.” The close of his caption seemingly referenced the [Wall Street _Journal’s_](https://www.wsj.com/politics/trump-jeffrey-epstein-birthday-letter-we-have-certain-things-in-common-f918d796) July 17 article which claimed that Trump used that same language in a “bawdy” birthday card he wrote to convicted sex offender Epstein in 2003\. Trump is alleged to have written: “Happy Birthday—and may every day be another wonderful secret.” Trump has denied he wrote the letter and has taken legal [action](https://time.com/7303381/trump-epstein-documents-wsj-letter/) against _WSJ_ publisher Dow Jones and NewsCorp’s owner Rupert Murdoch. Kimmel and Trump had a similar online exchange late last week, when Kimmel took to social media and posted an image of [himself and his family](https://www.instagram.com/p/DMOxjWgohLa/) attending a “Good Trouble” protest. (The anti-Trump Administration nationwide [protests](https://time.com/7303324/good-trouble-protests-trump-john-lewis/) were held in honor of the late civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis.) Kimmel and his family could be seen holding placards that read “Make America Good Again” and “I wish we had a better President.” But it was the comedian’s caption that caught people’s attention, as he made reference to the alleged Epstein letter. “Summer family vacation! #goodtrouble,” Kimmel said, before adding: “May every day be another wonderful secret.” Hours after Kimmel posted the protest image, Trump [shared his own message via Truth Social](https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114874422468516376), in which he celebrated the cancellation of Colbert’s show. “I absolutely love that Colbert got fired. His talent was even less than his ratings,” Trump said. “I hear Jimmy Kimmel is next. Has even less talent than Colbert!” He went on to take aim at Fallon, the host of _The Tonight Show_, saying: "Greg Gutfeld is better than all of them combined, including the Moron on NBC who ruined the once great _Tonight Show._" **Read More**: [_Trump Administration Requests Release of Epstein Grand Jury Files. What Happens Next?_](https://time.com/7303784/trump-administration-doj-grand-jury-epstein-files-release-motion/) Kimmel was among the late-night TV hosts to show his immediate support to Colbert following the news of the cancellation, writing via his Instagram stories on Thursday night: “Love you Stephen. F— you and all your Sheldons, CBS,” seemingly referencing the network’s _The Big Bang Theory_ sitcom and its subsequent spinoffs.  Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel speak onstage during the 71st Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater on Sept. 22, 2019, in Los Angeles, Calif. Kevin Winter—Getty Images The canceling of the _Late Show with Stephen Colbert_, which is set to end in May 2026, came days after Colbert spoke out on his show about CBS’ parent company, Paramount’s, $16 million [settlement](https://time.com/7299965/trump-paramount-60-minutes-lawsuit-settlement/) with Trump. [In his segment,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzvx3L3DQb8) Colbert called the settlement a “big fat bribe,” alleging that the company was looking for the Trump Administration to approve their merger with Skydance Media. CBS has [said that the show’s cancellation](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-late-show-stephen-colbert-end-may-2026/) was for “purely” financial reasons, but that hasn't stopped speculation. “CBS canceled Colbert’s show just THREE DAYS after Colbert called out CBS parent company Paramount for its $16M settlement with Trump—a deal that looks like bribery,” said Sen. Elizabeth Warren via [social media](https://bsky.app/profile/warren.senate.gov/post/3lu764d5gcs2u).“America deserves to know if his show was canceled for political reasons.” (Warren called for an investigation into the settlement [earlier this month](https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-calls-for-investigation-into-paramount-settlement-with-trump).) Meanwhile, this is not Kimmel’s first foray into the Epstein saga. In early 2024, football quarterback Aaron Rodgers made headlines [when he falsely suggested that](https://time.com/6552017/aaron-rodgers-jimmy-kimmel-tweet-jeffrey-epstein/) Kimmel's name would appear in court documents associated with Epstein. Kimmel threatened legal action against Rodgers at the time. “\[F\]or the record, I’ve not met, flown with, visited, or had any contact whatsoever with Epstein, nor will you find my name on any 'list' other than the clearly-phony nonsense that soft-brained wackos like yourself can’t seem to distinguish from reality,” Kimmel[ posted on X](https://x.com/jimmykimmel/status/1742324477323833546) on Jan 2, 2024 “Your reckless words put my family in danger. Keep it up and we will debate the facts further in court.” **Read More**: [_The Jeffrey Epstein Scandal Is Snowballing and Trump Can’t Seem to Stop It_](https://time.com/7302426/jeffrey-epstein-files-trump-takeaways/) Kimmel has been extremely outspoken in his criticism of Trump over the years. “Isn’t it past your jail time?” Kimmel [asked when hosting the Oscars](https://www.facebook.com/jimmykimmel/videos/jimmy-kimmel-responds-to-trumps-review-of-the-oscars/860341252445214/) last year, responding to a poor review by Trump of his monologue earlier that night. Kimmel has also been critical of Trump’s [handling of gun violence](https://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/in-the-know/374169-kimmel-tears-up-in-plea-for-action-on-gun-violence-children-are/) and immigration. When [Trump sent the National Guard into Los Angeles](https://time.com/7291978/los-angeles-immigration-protests-trump-national-guard-deployed-newsom-backlash/) in June to quell protests related to his mass deportation efforts, Kimmel called Trump [“an arsonist with a hose.”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baR4logaaOQ) This came amid backlash over the President’s decision to send in the National Guard without the request of California Gov. 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