When Jimmy Kimmel took the stage at the 2026 Academy Awards to present Best Documentary Feature Film, there was always a strong chance he would use his moment at the mic to throw shade at the Trumps.
Kimmel has long been an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump and the current administration, trading regular barbs with the POTUS and even seeing his late‑night show, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, suspended after backlash over comments he made following the Charlie Kirk assassination.
Given that Melania Trump released her documentary, Melania, in January, it was likely the FLOTUS would end up in the firing line with Kimmel presenting the documentary award.
And he didn’t disappoint those expecting him to lean into his anti‑Trump rhetoric. Taking the stage at Los Angeles’ Dolby Theatre, he joked: “There are also documentaries where you walk around the White House trying on shoes.”
Referring to President Trump, he added: “Oh man, is he gonna be mad his wife wasn’t nominated for this.”
The Melania documentary, funded and produced by Amazon, currently holds a 1.5/10 rating on IMDb. It follows the First Lady’s preparations to return to the White House in 2025 after her husband’s victory in the 2024 U.S. elections. Melania was reportedly paid $40 million by Amazon for exclusive behind‑the‑scenes access.
“I’m very proud of the film, so people may like it, may don’t like it, and that’s their choice,” Melania told CNN after its release. “We achieved what we want to achieve. For myself, it’s already successful. I’m very proud of what we did.”
Despite its substantial funding, Melania failed to receive an Oscars nomination. Kimmel’s joke drew plenty of laughs from the live audience at the Dolby Theatre, but it wasn’t well received by certain members of the Trump administration.
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung criticized Kimmel on Tuesday, March 17, calling the comedian a “classless hack.” In a post on X, Cheung wrote: “Jimmy Kimmel (Mr. Blackface) is a classless hack who is self‑projecting his depression and sadness onto others.
“He lives a pathetic existence where nobody – not even his family – enjoys his miserable company.”
Kimmel also appeared to take a direct jab at Trump and CBS during the ceremony, saying: “Telling a story that could get you killed for telling it is real courage. As you know, there are some countries whose leaders don’t support free speech. I’m not at liberty to say which. Let’s just leave it at North Korea & CBS.”
