Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel launched a sharp critique against former President Donald Trump on Tuesday, targeting what he called an "outrageous" suggestion from Trump that Democratic veterans in Congress should be executed.
Kimmel's Fiery Monologue on Trump's Comments
Kimmel focused his monologue on remarks Trump made during a Friday radio appearance with Fox News host Brian Kilmeade. The context was a video shared by Democratic lawmakers urging U.S. military service members to refuse unlawful orders. Trump accused the Democrats of "seditious behavior" and stated, "In the old days, if you said a thing like that, that was punishable by death."
Kimmel played a clip where Kilmeade attempted to get Trump to walk back the statement, noting that many interpreted it as a threat. Trump responded by saying, "Well, I'm not threatening them, but I think they're in serious trouble... I'm not threatening death, but I think they're in serious trouble. In the old days, it was death!"
Kimmel reacted with incredulity, asking, "In the old — what old days are the — the Salem witch trials? What days is — we did not put Congress people to death in the old days!"
The Pentagon's Investigation into a War Hero
Adding another layer to the controversy, Kimmel highlighted that the Pentagon is now investigating one of the Democrats involved, Senator Mark Kelly, a Democrat from Arizona. The Pentagon is reportedly threatening to court-martial him over the video.
Kimmel passionately defended Kelly's distinguished record, listing his credentials: "Mark Kelly was a captain in the Navy; he flew 39 combat missions over Iraq and Kuwait. He's a former astronaut." Kimmel then posed a rhetorical question, wondering if Trump would start targeting other American icons, asking, "which, if Trump starts going after our astronauts, who's next? Lauren Sánchez [Bezos]? Katy Perry? Where does it end?!"
Broader Implications and Reactions
This incident underscores the intensely polarized political climate in the United States, where rhetoric from prominent figures is increasingly scrutinized for its potential to incite violence. Kimmel's segment serves as a stark commentary on the normalization of extreme political language and its direct challenge to democratic norms and the respect owed to military veterans.
