Jimmy Kimmel Gains Italian Citizenship, Responds to Trump’s Cancellation Jibe

Late-night television host Jimmy Kimmel has officially joined the ranks of American celebrities with dual citizenship — and he’s making no secret of the timing. Appearing on The Sarah Silverman Podcast on August 12, Kimmel revealed that he secured Italian citizenship earlier this year after tracing and proving his ancestral roots, a story also confirmed by Italy’s national news agency, ANSA. The announcement came just days after Donald Trump took aim at him, suggesting that Jimmy Kimmel Live! could be “next” on the chopping block following CBS’ decision to cancel The Late Show with Stephen C

Late-night television host Jimmy Kimmel has officially joined the ranks of American celebrities with dual citizenship — and he’s making no secret of the timing. Appearing on The Sarah Silverman Podcast on August 12, Kimmel revealed that he secured Italian citizenship earlier this year after tracing and proving his ancestral roots, a story also confirmed by Italy’s national news agency, ANSA. The announcement came just days after Donald Trump took aim at him, suggesting that Jimmy Kimmel Live! could be “next” on the chopping block following CBS’ decision to cancel The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Kimmel, who has been one of Trump’s most vocal critics in Hollywood, has spent years trading barbs with the former president  from pointed monologues on ABC to sly digs on the Oscars stage. This latest twist adds another layer to their long-running public feud. “Why not?” Kimmel quipped during the podcast, hinting that the move also offers a personal connection to his family history. He’s in good company — celebrities like Ellen DeGeneres, Rosie O’Donnell, and many others have pursued second passports in recent years, citing heritage, lifestyle, and sometimes, the political climate. Dual citizenship, once seen as a rare privilege, has become a growing trend among high-profile Americans, offering expanded travel freedoms, deeper cultural ties, and — for some a strategic exit plan. Whether his new Italian passport will inspire more material for his Trump jokes remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: Kimmel now has another country to call home.