Jimmy Kimmel Secures Italian Citizenship as Political Fallback Amid Rising Tensions

A photo of late night host Jimmy Kimmel at a red carpet event. He is wearing a navy blue button down shirt and a big smile.

Jimmy Kimmel has quietly packed his bags—well, metaphorically. The longtime late-night host revealed on The Sarah Silverman Podcast that he has obtained Italian citizenship, citing concerns over the political climate in the U.S. under President Donald Trump’s second term. Describing the situation as “so much worse” than anticipated, Kimmel framed the move as a contingency plan should conditions deteriorate further.

He traced his newfound ancestry back to maternal great-grandparents from Ischia and Candida—Italian villages decimated by an earthquake in 1883—through which he secured his dual nationality.

Kimmel joins other outspoken celebrities, including Rosie O’Donnell and Ellen DeGeneres, who have either relocated abroad or acquired foreign citizenship amid similar political disillusionment.

The comedian’s candid disclosure comes amid escalated tensions with Trump, who recently celebrated the cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and hinted that Kimmel might be next. In response, Kimmel fired back with satirical commentary and has continued to speak out on his platform with sharp wit and resistance.


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