Jimmy Kimmel has revealed he acquired Italian citizenship due to Donald Trump's presidency, becoming the latest celebrity to make contingency plans after the president's re-election in 2024. The US late-night host confirmed the news on The Sarah Silverman Podcast, with Italian news agency Ansa verifying he obtained citizenship earlier this year by proving his ancestral lineage.
Speaking on the podcast, Kimmel said of Trump's second term: "What's going on is as bad as you thought it was gonna be. It's so much worse – it's just unbelievable." He expressed concern over the direction of the country, noting that many of his peers are considering citizenship elsewhere.
Kimmel's Italian heritage traces back to his grandmother Edith, whose family came from Candida in the province of Avellino. At an Italian Republic Day event in Los Angeles in June, he reportedly told the audience: "I have just obtained citizenship, thanks to my beloved grandmother Edith... She used to repeat to me, 'You have the brain of a hamster!'"
Kimmel joins a wave of celebrities relocating or obtaining dual nationality since Trump's 2024 victory. Rosie O'Donnell moved to Ireland in January, while Ellen DeGeneres and her wife, Portia de Rossi, relocated to the UK, citing concerns over LGBTQ+ rights and the possibility of same-sex marriage being overturned in the US.
Kimmel also addressed former Trump supporters now questioning his policies. "The door has to stay open. If you want to change your mind... you are welcome," he said, referencing comments by podcaster Joe Rogan.
