Jimmy Kimmel has confirmed he obtained Italian citizenship in response to Donald Trump’s re-election, joining a wave of celebrities making contingency plans. The late-night host revealed the news on The Sarah Silverman Podcast, with Italian news agency Ansa verifying he had become a citizen earlier this year through ancestral lineage.
Kimmel, whose grandparents emigrated from Italy, said the current political climate is “so much worse” than he anticipated. He traced his eligibility to his Italian grandmother Edith, whose family came from Candida in the province of Avellino. At a June event in Los Angeles, he recounted her telling him, “You have the brain of a hamster!”
Other celebrities have also left the US following Trump’s 2024 victory. Rosie O’Donnell moved to Ireland in January, and Ellen DeGeneres recently relocated to the UK, citing concerns over LGBTQ+ rights. DeGeneres praised the UK for being “clean” and noted that people are “polite”.
Kimmel also addressed former Trump supporters who now oppose the administration, urging openness. He said, “The door has to stay open. If you want to admit you were wrong, that is so hard and so rare to do. You are welcome.” Kimmel’s show continues to criticise the Trump administration, as do other late-night hosts like John Oliver and Stephen Colbert.
