Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel delivered a scathing critique of former President Donald Trump on Wednesday, targeting his response to a fatal shooting involving a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Kimmel accused Trump of lacking compassion and presented a starkly different account of the incident than the one offered by the former president.
Kimmel's Blunt Critique of Trump and ICE
During his opening monologue, Kimmel lambasted Trump as a "maniac" for his social media commentary on the death of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good. The woman was shot and killed by an ICE agent during an encounter in Minneapolis. Kimmel took issue with the agency's presence, stating they were in the city "under the guise of protecting us."
He read aloud Trump's post, which described Good as "very disorderly, obstructing and resisting" and claimed she "violently, willfully, and viciously" ran over the agent with her vehicle. Kimmel directly contradicted this narrative, referencing video footage of the event.
Contradicting the Official Account
"Now I saw this video, it didn’t look like anybody got run over to me," Kimmel stated. "It looked to me like a woman got scared, tried to drive away and they shot her. But that’ll be for the court to decide." His analysis highlighted the significant discrepancy between the presidential description and the visual evidence circulating publicly.
Minneapolis Mayor's Fury and Kimmel's Support
Kimmel's commentary aligned with the furious reaction from Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. The mayor had previously ripped the Department of Homeland Security's attempts to frame the shooting as an act of self-defense, bluntly calling their account "bullshit" and telling ICE to "get the fuck out of Minneapolis."
In a show of solidarity, Jimmy Kimmel revealed a custom-made t-shirt during his broadcast that simply read, "GET THE F**K OUT OF MPLS," echoing the mayor's explicit demand. This fashion statement served as a direct and provocative endorsement of the local official's stance against the federal agency.
Ongoing Fallout and National Debate
The incident and the polarized reactions to it have fueled the ongoing national debate over immigration enforcement tactics and accountability. The clash between local Minneapolis leadership and federal authorities, amplified by figures like Kimmel, underscores the deep divisions in how such violent encounters are perceived and politicized. The case remains under investigation, with the final judicial findings yet to be determined.
