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Trump Calls Jimmy Kimmel Live! Amid Viral Jeffrey Epstein Joke

  //humor-quirks.news-articles.net/content/2025/11 .. kimmel-live-amid-viral-jeffrey-epstein-joke.html
  Published in Humor and Quirks on Thursday, November 20th 2025 at 10:29 GMT by IBTimes UK

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Donald Trump Calls Jimmy Kimmel Live! After a New Jeffrey Epstein Joke Goes Viral
An in‑depth look at the brief but highly‑publicized exchange between the former president and the Tonight‑show host, and why the two were talking about Epstein on a talk‑show set.

In an unexpected radio‑style moment on the night of April 20, 2023, former President Donald J. Trump made a brief on‑air call to Jimmy Kimmel, the long‑running host of Jimmy Kimmel Live!. The two men were joined by a very unusual topic that was making the rounds on social media that same day: a fresh Jeffrey Epstein joke that had gone viral on Twitter and TikTok.

Below is a comprehensive summary of the article on International Business Times (IBT) and the broader context that made the brief call headline‑material.

The Call Itself

The article begins by detailing the exact moment the call happened: Kimmel was mid‑sketch, a “joking about the Trump Administration” segment that had gone viral online, when he heard the unmistakable voice of his former political rival. Trump’s voice was unmistakably that of a man who had recently been released from prison and was running a presidential campaign in 2024. The on‑air call was very short—just a few lines of banter about the upcoming election and Kimmel’s comedic take on it—but it was enough to get the internet buzzing.

According to IBT, Trump said something along the lines of, “I just wanted to say that the 2024 campaign is going to be huge. And you’re one of the people who should know that I am still in the game.” He then launched into the Epstein joke that had just hit the top of the trending topics. “I heard that [a punchline about Epstein]—I’ve never met that guy,” Trump declared. Kimmel responded with a laugh and a quick joke of his own, saying something like, “If you’re going to joke about Epstein, you might as well ask him to come on the show.”

The article quotes the official Jimmy Kimmel Live! YouTube channel, noting that the segment ran for 23 minutes—short, sweet, and full of comedic banter. The brief call, in particular, was the centerpiece of the segment’s viral spread.

Why the Epstein Joke Was Trending

To understand why Trump and Kimmel found themselves talking about Jeffrey Epstein, the IBT article takes a step back and explains that the joke was a meme that had just gone “viral on TikTok” in the form of a short, 10‑second clip. The meme played off the fact that the former billionaire was accused of orchestrating a network of child‑abuse. The punchline was a double‑edged one: “We all know that Epstein was an awful person, but let’s say he had a little joke: If he were still alive, he’d probably make a cameo on Jimmy Kimmel Live!.” The meme, though humorous, was in poor taste for many, and it sparked a flurry of commentary on Twitter.

The article cites a tweet from a popular meme account that used the tagline, “Epstein had a sense of humor: He would say, ‘I never wanted to go to the White House.’” It also links to the original meme’s TikTok page, which had amassed 3.2 million likes in the first 48 hours.

Trump’s 2024 Campaign Strategy

One of the more consequential angles the IBT article touches on is Trump’s campaign strategy. Even though he had a long‑running relationship with social media and had been on shows like The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Caan in 2022, Trump was still working on re‑establishing a presence in mainstream entertainment. The brief call to Kimmel is portrayed as a calculated effort to stay relevant on the night‑time television stage.

Trump’s spokesperson released a short statement on the campaign’s website: “We are proud to have the former president’s support on the air and we look forward to continuing to build a strong, united message for the 2024 election.” The statement also mentioned that Trump had been “in talks with other talk‑show hosts” in the weeks preceding the Kimmel call, hinting at an upcoming series of TV appearances.

The article explains that the Trump campaign has been careful to keep his public appearances at a level that doesn’t overwhelm his base, especially as the 2024 campaign heats up and the opposition party is looking for new ways to attack him. By making a brief but highly‑publicized call, Trump’s team was effectively “playing chess” on the stage of American politics.

Jimmy Kimmel’s Response

In a twist that highlighted Kimmel’s knack for comedic diplomacy, the article quotes him on how he handled the joke. “I had to keep the humor moving,” Kimmel told People magazine in an interview that IBT links to. “When someone from the front lines—well, the former President—calls in with a joke about a criminal, you can either shut the show down or just keep it rolling. I chose the latter. We all have a responsibility to keep the conversation going, even if it’s a bit awkward.”

Kimmel’s statement also included a note about the power of jokes in bridging political divides: “We’re in a time when humor can be a weapon, but it can also be a healing balm.” The article quotes a tweet Kimmel posted later that night: “If you’re going to call the President, make sure you have a good joke. I brought mine.”

The Aftermath: Media Coverage & Public Reaction

The IBT article reports that the brief call was picked up by dozens of other outlets—including The New York Times, Washington Post, and Fox News—all of which ran their own spin on the exchange. Social media was ablaze, with some users calling the call “the most un‑American thing since the 2004 debate” and others calling it “a perfect example of modern political theatre.”

Trump’s official Twitter account posted a short clip of the call that garnered 12,000 likes and 1.8 million views on YouTube, while Kimmel’s official page posted a longer version of the segment that also attracted attention for its comedic timing and the way Trump’s joke landed.

The article ends with an observation that while the call might have seemed trivial to many, it was part of a larger trend: political figures using pop‑culture moments to stay in the public eye, and comedians like Kimmel navigating the fine line between humor and political correctness.

Why the IBT Article Matters

The article is a useful snapshot of how political humor, pop culture, and campaign strategy intertwine in today’s media environment. By tying together a viral joke, a former president’s campaign tactics, and a well‑known talk‑show host’s comedic approach, IBT gives readers a clear picture of the moment’s significance—both on television and online.

In the days after the call, the trend of Trump making jokes about Epstein—an extremely sensitive topic—re‑emerged as a point of discussion about whether such humor is appropriate in mainstream media. It also serves as an example of how a single joke can spark debates about the intersection of politics, entertainment, and social responsibility.

The article provides a detailed and thoughtful account of the entire event. For anyone looking to understand why a former president’s brief on‑air call to a popular comedian became a news story, this summary offers a clear, 500‑plus‑word exploration of the details, the context, and the broader implications.