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Jimmy Kimmel Jabbed Back at Donald Trump During the Oscars

Yes, that was a real post by the former president.

Jimmy Kimmel wearing a light tuxedo jacket with a black bowtie.
“See if you can guess which former president just posted that?” Jimmy Kimmel said near the end of his Oscars hosting duties.Credit...Amir Hamja/The New York Times

Former President Donald J. Trump couldn’t help himself. And Jimmy Kimmel couldn’t resist either. So the Oscars wound to a close on a political note.

Kimmel used some of his final stage time as host to read, to millions of Americans watching at home, a post published on Truth Social by Trump. (And yes, he really did post it.)

Drawing out his phone onstage, Kimmel decided to share what he called “a review.”

“Has there ever been a worse host than Jimmy Kimmel at the Oscars,” Kimmel said, reading part of Trump’s post, which included a disparaging nickname for the ABC host George Stephanopoulos.

“His opening was that of a less than average person trying too hard to be something which he is not, and never can be,” Kimmel continued. “Get rid of Kimmel and perhaps replace him with another washed up, but cheap, ABC ‘talent,’ George Slopanopoulos. He would make everybody on stage look bigger, stronger, and more glamorous.”

“Blah, blah, blah,” Kimmel said. “Make America great again.”

After asking the audience, “See if you can guess which former president just posted that?” Kimmel offered one final jab, expressing surprise that Trump had stayed up to watch the telecast.

“Isn’t it past your jail time?” he said.

Matt Stevens writes about arts and culture news for The Times. He has been a journalist for more than a decade. More about Matt Stevens

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