"I lead Trump by 16 points": Jimmy Kimmel announces he's "more popular" than POTUS based on poll taken by "more than 1,000 people"

From L to R: Donald Trump and Jimmy Kimmel (Image via Getty Images)
From L to R: Donald Trump and Jimmy Kimmel (Image via Getty Images)

Late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel took a playful jab at U.S. President Donald Trump during the October 7, 2025, episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!. On the broadcast, Kimmel declared that he was officially “more popular” than Trump, citing new polling data from YouGov.

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Opening his monologue with his trademark humor, Kimmel told his audience that despite recent controversies surrounding his show, including its brief suspension and subsequent reinstatement, he had received some “exciting news” over the weekend.

“According to a new poll from YouGov, which is a serious polling site — or they were before this — I am more popular than the president of the United States. They pulled more than 1000 people, and I lead Trump by 16 points. I’m at plus three; he’s at minus 13,” Jimmy Kimmel explained.
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According to a Guardian report dated October 6, 2025, the survey, conducted by The Economist and YouGov between September 26 and 29. This survey asked 1,656 U.S. adults whether they viewed both Kimmel and the president of the United States favorably.

The findings showed Kimmel with a net favorability score of +3, based on 44% of respondents viewing him positively, 41% negatively, and 15% undecided. The POTUS, by contrast, recorded a net favorability of -13, with 41% viewing him favorably, 54% unfavorably, and 5% undecided, placing Kimmel 16 points ahead in overall popularity.

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The data carried added significance given Kimmel’s recent suspension and reinstatement by ABC, a development that reportedly both “delighted and then rankled” Trump.


What else did Jimmy Kimmel say about Trump during the latest episode of his late-night show?

Jimmy Kimmel (Image via Getty Images)
Jimmy Kimmel (Image via Getty Images)

During the aforementioned episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the host delivered a series of playful yet pointed jabs at Donald Trump.

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Kimmel began by addressing the president’s long-standing fixation with his show’s ratings.

“You remember the guy who keeps saying I have no ratings? Well, that makes two of us,” he quipped,

This was a reference to the POTUS’s earlier claims that Jimmy Kimmel Live! was “fired because he had bad ratings” after ABC temporarily pulled the show off air following criticism from FCC chair Brendan Carr (as per BBC). With his signature humor, Kimmel made it clear that he was well aware of the ongoing ratings discourse.

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Shifting focus to the recent YouGov poll that compared his own popularity to that of the president’s, Kimmel reflected on the surprising results.

He told viewers that while his ratings were “nice,” they should probably be higher given that he had “never paid off a p*rn star,” “never sent masked goons into a park,” and never had a “convicted felon friend” like Jeffrey Epstein.

“At this point, finding a toenail in your salad has a seven-point lead over Donald Trump,” he added.
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Kimmel went on to say that he had hoped the president wouldn’t “see this” poll because he didn’t want to “upset him.” However, he noted that the POTUS might already have been upset, since the White House had released a statement earlier that day through spokesperson Anna Kelly (as per Newsweek).

Reading from the statement, Kimmel quoted:

“Over 77 million Americans showed up on election day to cast their ballots for President Donald J. Trump, who is delivering on his overwhelming mandate to put America first. Jimmy Kimmel prays every night to garner a fraction of that support to keep his show on air after ratings dropped 64% last week. Sad!”
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Kimmel remarked that while it was indeed “a real statement,” it would probably look better as a quote on a nice T-shirt with "Trump’s face on it.”

The host continued with another biting joke, noting that it was “sad” how the president reportedly had “a lower approval rating than Diddy and diarrhea.” Finally, the late-night show offered one last suggestion to POTUS.

“You know, if he’s looking to improve his approval numbers, I have an idea. Release the Epstein files,” Jimmy Kimmel remarked.
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Although a White House representative addressed the poll results, Trump himself has yet to comment on the survey that placed him below Jimmy Kimmel.

Kimmel’s late-night show, Jimmy Kimmel Live! airs weeknights on ABC at 11:35 p.m. ET/10:35 p.m. CT, with episodes available for next-day streaming on Hulu, Hulu + Live TV, and YouTube.

Edited by Shayari Roy
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