Jimmy Kimmel Attacks Donald Trump at Oscars, Jokes Melania's Documentary Wasn't Nominated

Jimmy Kimmel returned to the Oscars stage to present awards for Best Documentary Feature and Best Documentary Short at the 98th Academy Awards ceremony on March 15, 2026.

“(The Hill) – Jimmy Kimmel is returning to the Oscars stage with a dig at President Trump and Melania Trump, and a free speech-related knock at CBS”

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The late-night host, who has hosted the Academy Awards four times, took advantage of his presenting slot to deliver several political jabs aimed at President Donald Trump and the Trump administration.

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Kimmel opened his segment by joking about his previous hosting role, quipping "Wait, am I not hosting the show?" while addressing the audience at the Dolby Theatre.

His appearance came two years after he had handed off hosting duties to Conan O'Brien, who returned as host for the 2026 ceremony.

During his presentation, Kimmel made specific jokes about Melania Trump's self-titled documentary, which was released earlier in 2026 and directed by Brett Ratner.

While introducing the nominees for Best Documentary Feature, Kimmel quipped that "Oh man, is he going to be mad his wife wasn't nominated for this," drawing laughter from the audience.

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Earlier in his monologue, he had made a broader critique of documentary filmmaking, stating that "fortunately for all of us there's an international community of filmmakers dedicated to telling the truth, oftentimes at great risk to make films that teach us, that call out injustice, that inspire us to take action, and there are also documentaries where you walk around the White House trying on shoes."

Kimmel also took aim at CBS during his presentation, making a veiled reference to network controversies related to free speech.

“The host and comedian Jimmy Kimmel did not miss the opportunity to take a jab at U”

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While introducing the Best Documentary Short category, he remarked that "we hear a lot about courage at shows like this, but 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, but let's just leave it at North Korea and CBS."

The comment appeared to reference several recent controversies at CBS, including the network's decision to cancel "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert" and editor-in-chief Bari Weiss pulling a "60 Minutes" segment about Trump administration policies.

The jokes came amid a long-standing feud between Kimmel and President Trump.

The late-night host has frequently criticized the Trump administration, and his show "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" was temporarily suspended by ABC in September 2025 after he made comments about the death of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, which Trump celebrated.

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Kimmel has also previously mocked Melania's documentary on his show, calling it a "vanity project" and joking about its $75 million budget.

The documentary itself, which followed Melania Trump during the weeks leading up to her husband's second inauguration in January 2025, was a critical and commercial failure, earning only $7 million in its opening weekend despite a massive $40 million acquisition and $35 million marketing budget from Amazon MGM Studios.

Kimmel's political humor reflected the broader atmosphere at the 98th Academy Awards, which featured several moments of political commentary.

“Jimmy Kimmel arrived at the 98th Academy Awards to present the Best Documentary prizes, and found the opportunity to poke fun at his frequent frenemy Donald Trump”

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Presenter Javier Bardem also called out Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu for creating "another illegal war" while declaring "free Palestine."

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The ceremony was dominated by the film "One Battle After Another," which took home six awards including Best Picture and Best Director for Paul Thomas Anderson.

Some viewers criticized the show for cutting off speeches, particularly by the songwriters behind the Best Original Song winner 'Golden' from KPop Demon Hunters.

Kimmel's return to the Oscars stage demonstrated his willingness to use the platform for political commentary, continuing a tradition of hosts who have mixed humor with social and political critique at Hollywood's biggest night.