Jimmy Kimmel speaks onstage during the Oscars show at the 98th Academy Awards in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, U.S., March 15, 2026. REUTERS/Mike Blake
(Los Angeles, California) – Actor Daniel Baldwin is speaking out against Jimmy Kimmel, accusing the late-night host of helping fuel a hostile political climate around President Trump.
Baldwin argued that Kimmel’s constant anti-Trump commentary may not directly cause violence, but still contributes to a culture of anger and dehumanization. His criticism comes as conservatives continue to accuse late-night television of turning political hatred into entertainment.
Kimmel’s defenders will likely argue that comedy is not responsible for the actions of unstable individuals and that public figures should be able to take jokes. But Baldwin’s point is aimed at a broader question: what happens when jokes stop sounding like comedy and start sounding like nonstop political contempt?
The debate comes at a time when threats against public officials are under intense scrutiny. Conservatives say media figures should be held accountable for the tone they help create, especially when their jokes repeatedly target the same political figures.
For Baldwin, the issue is not just Kimmel. It is a larger media culture that he believes has normalized Trump hatred while pretending it is only satire.
