President Donald Trump and Jimmy Kimmel are at it again, This time they’re sparring over a fundraising email that landed in inboxes across the country. The message, sent to supporters on Trump’s political list, targeted the late-night host and asked backers to respond. Kimmel was not in the mood to let it slide.
In the email, Trump called the ABC host a “ratings-starved hack” and accused him of mocking “YOU and our movement.” The message carried the tone of a campaign rally, even though Trump is in his second term. It ended with a familiar call to action — donate, step up, send a message.
“The poor guy just LOVES to have my name in his mouth,” the president wrote. “Because he knows that without Trump, HE’D HAVE NO CAREER AT ALL.”
The note was distributed through what Trump described as his “MAGA Blitz” list. He urged “millions of MAGA Patriots” to show Kimmel that “his words have NOTHING on MAGA.” Supporters were also offered “exclusive” 2026 MAGA membership perks in exchange for contributions.
Jimmy Kimmel responds to Trump attacking him in a fundraising email – Mashable
“Why is a president in his second term even fundraising?” https://t.co/DNpOrfnVPR
— Julie AFB CAtoTX (@Juliecatotx) February 24, 2026
Kimmel, who returned to Jimmy Kimmel Live! after a short vacation, read parts of the email aloud. He appeared amused more than rattled. “I was in my house doing nothing!” he said, reacting to Trump’s suggestion that he was “back at it again.”
He also poked at the subject line, “DJT: Get Trump out of your mouth,” joking that it sounded like it belonged somewhere else entirely.
Then came the bigger question. “Why is the president in his second term even sending fundraising emails?” Kimmel asked. “Maybe he needs to pay all the big, beautiful tariffs he has to give back now.” That studio audience enthusiastically applauded that line.
The back-and-forth comes as Trump prepares for a State of the Union address this week. Kimmel teased a special episode timed to the speech, promising viewers a night of commentary. “We will have a special show tomorrow night to laugh at all the stupid things he says,” he said, before adding, “But I digress.”
Trump’s email also referenced Hollywood directly, saying he wanted to send a message “so loud it shakes the foundations” of the entertainment industry. This is not new territory for either man.
Over the years, Kimmel has criticized Trump’s policy decisions to his legal troubles. Trump, in turn, has frequently targeted late-night hosts, arguing that they are biased. During his first term, he regularly attacked television networks and comedians who mocked him. That pattern has continued.
State of the Union Drinking Game! Take a drink every time Donald Trump says the following….
• Many people are saying…
• Joe Biden
• Tells a “sir” story
• Winning
• China
• Tariffs
• Jimmy Kimmel
• Fake News
• Witch Hunt
• Immigrants pic.twitter.com/Ix3F0ppahu
— Jimmy Shaw (@roadkill3x) February 24, 2026
In Monday’s monologue, Kimmel also touched on polling numbers and recent court rulings related to Trump’s tariff policies. He cleverly wove those points into his jokes. And he also noted that the Supreme Court blocked a key tariff move, calling it a major setback. He then suggested that sudden announcements, including talk of declassifying files related to UFOs, often follow difficult headlines.
The email at the center of the latest clash, however, was focused on one thing: Jimmy Kimmel. It asked supporters to prove their loyalty. Trump tried to frame Kimmel’s late-night show as a cultural battle, and using the comedian as a hook for a fundraising effort.
Kimmel read it, then paused and smiled. And he simply kept going.
