Jimmy Kimmel Dangles Emmy for Trump—But There’s a Catch

Jimmy Kimmel, never one to shy away from a pointed joke, has put forward a rather unusual proposal to Donald Trump. During his monologue on the 15th of January, the late-night host declared he’d be willing to hand over one of his own trophies to the former president—on the strict condition that Trump pulls federal immigration officers out of Minneapolis.

The idea seemed to have been sparked by a recent gesture from Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado, who, in a bid to curry favour, presented Trump with her Nobel Peace Prize. Kimmel, picking up on the absurdity, quipped,

“Rarely does a president yank a Nobel Prize off of someone’s neck,”

before adding,

“He’s back in the Oval Office sucking on it like a pacifier right now. Look at how happy he is. Have you ever seen anyone happier than that for winning this prize? He didn’t even win.”

For Kimmel, the notion of bestowing an award on Trump was less about recognition and more about leverage.

“Awarding the President, Kimmel suggested, was the only way to get Trump to ‘do anything’ at all.”

He then upped the ante, addressing Trump directly:

“Mr President, I have an offer I think you’re going to find difficult to refuse.”

Political Tensions in Minnesota

The timing of Kimmel’s offer was no accident. The city of Minneapolis has been at the centre of a storm following the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good, a mother of three, by an ICE officer named Jonathan Ross on the 7th of January. The incident has ignited widespread protests across the country, with demonstrators demanding the removal of federal immigration agents from the city.

Kimmel, referencing the unrest, laid out his terms:

“If you — and only if you agreed to pull ICE out of Minneapolis and put them back at the borders where they belong — I am prepared to offer you one of the following trophies that I have been honoured with over the years.”

The host’s list of potential prizes was hardly short: a Daytime Emmy for Best Game Show Host from 1999, a Clio Award for advertising, or even a Webby—“the most prestigious award the internet can give,” as he put it, tongue firmly in cheek.

Award Swap: Kimmel’s Bargaining Chips

There was no sign of Kimmel being precious about which accolade he’d part with.

“First off, the Daytime Emmy I won for Best Game Show host in 1999. That could be yours. Or perhaps you would prefer my Clio Award for my work selling crap to people? Or my Webby award — the most prestigious award the internet can give.”

The host’s tone was unmistakably sardonic, but the underlying message was clear: if Trump wanted a trophy, he’d have to make a significant concession.

Wrapping up his offer, Kimmel made it plain he was ready to deliver the goods in person.

“The choice is yours. I will personally deliver any, or even all of these, to the Oval Office in exchange for leaving the people of Minneapolis alone.”

Whether the former president will bite remains to be seen, but Kimmel’s gambit has certainly added a new twist to the ongoing debate over federal intervention in American cities.