March 15, 2026, 10:19 p.m. ET
Even when he’s off duty from Oscars hosting duties, Jimmy Kimmel is eager to use the stage to get political.
While presenting the best documentary short award at the 98th Academy Awards Sunday, March 15, the late-night host and four-time Oscars emcee took the opportunity to sound off on the media landscape amid the Trump administration.
“We hear a lot about courage at shows like this, but telling a story that could get you killed for telling it is real courage,” Kimmel told the Dolby Theatre’s superstar crowd, which included nominees Leonardo DiCaprio, Emma Stone, Michael B. Jordan and Benicio Del Toro.
“As you know, there are some countries whose leaders don’t support free speech,” Kimmel continued. “I’m not at liberty to say which. Let’s just leave it at North Korea and CBS.”
CBS and its parent company, Paramount, have come under scrutiny in the last year for their relationship with President Donald Trump, including a $16 million lawsuit settlement last July and the cancellation of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” starring frequent Trump critic Stephen Colbert.
Kimmel, a fellow Trump dissident, drew the president’s ire while hosting the 2024 Oscars. Deviating from what the writers had prepared for the night, Kimmel read aloud a Truth Social post Trump had fired off during the Academy Awards broadcast.
“Has there EVER been a WORSE HOST than Jimmy Kimmel at The Oscars. His opening was that of a less-than-average person trying too hard to be something which he is not, and never can be,” the post read. Trump, as usual, called the “boring” show’s ratings into question and also insisted that Kimmel be replaced. (Conan O’Brien did, starting in 2025.)
Kimmel shot back, “Thank you, President Trump. Thank you for watching. Isn’t it past your jail time?” During a “Live with Kelly and Mark” appearance the following day, Kimmel claimed he was told not to read Trump’s post.
During Sunday’s Oscars, Kimmel managed to throw in a not-so-subtle dig at the Trump clan with a reference to first lady Melania Trump‘s recent documentary, “Melania.”
“Fortunately for all of us, there’s an international community of filmmakers dedicated to telling the truth, oftentimes at great risk to make films that teach us, that call out injustice, that inspire us to take action,” Kimmel said. “And there are also documentaries where you walk around the White House trying on shoes.”
Contributing: Anthony Robledo
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