Jimmy Kimmel Takes Aim: Melania’s Documentary and the Trump Feud at the Oscars

Jimmy Kimmel rarely passes up an opportunity to needle Donald Trump and his inner circle, so it came as little surprise when Melania Trump became the subject of his humor at this year’s Academy Awards.

The prestigious ceremony took place last night at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, with comedian Conan O’Brien serving as the evening’s host. The night was a triumph for the films One Battle After Another, which secured an impressive six Oscars, and Sinners, which took home four awards.

The task of presenting the award for Best Documentary Feature fell to late-night personality Jimmy Kimmel. True to form, he utilized his moment on the global stage to direct some pointed commentary toward the Trump family.

Given Kimmel’s long-standing and often contentious history with Donald Trump, and following the January release of the First Lady’s documentary, Melania, it seemed almost inevitable that she would be targeted during the documentary presentation.

“There are also documentaries where you simply walk through the White House trying on shoes,” Kimmel quipped to the audience before announcing the winner. He followed the joke with a sharp observation: “Oh man, is he going to be furious that his wife didn’t get a nomination for this.”

A Controversial Release

The Amazon-backed documentary, which currently holds a meager 1.5/10 rating on IMDb, offers a behind-the-scenes look at Melania as she prepared for a 2025 return to the White House following her husband’s success in the 2024 U.S. elections.

According to the film’s synopsis, Melania features “exclusive footage capturing critical meetings, private conversations, and never-before-seen environments,” highlighting her re-entry into one of the most prominent roles on the world stage. Reports indicate that the First Lady received a staggering $40 million from Amazon for providing this exclusive access to her life.

Reflecting on the project after its debut, Melania told CNN: “I’m very proud of the film, so people may like it, or they may not—that is their choice. We achieved what we set out to achieve. For me, it is already a success. I am very proud of the work we did.”

Critical Reception and Historical Friction

Despite her personal pride in the project, professional critics were largely unforgiving. The Hollywood Reporter dismissed the film as “expensive propaganda,” The Atlantic labeled it “a disgrace,” and The Guardian went so far as to call it “gilded trash.”

Kimmel’s sharp-tongued remarks are part of a rivalry with the Trumps that spans several years, though Donald Trump is usually his primary target. The tension between the host and the former president reached a peak last year when Kimmel was briefly removed from the air following controversial remarks regarding the assassination of Charlie Kirk—comments that reportedly drew Trump’s ire—before being reinstated by ABC.

During last night’s broadcast, Kimmel also seemed to take a dual swipe at Trump and CBS, remarking: “Telling a story that could get you killed for telling it is real courage. As you know, there are some countries whose leaders don’t support free speech. I’m not at liberty to say which ones. Let’s just leave it at North Korea and CBS.”