Jimmy Kimmelâs Wife Says Trump Divide Has Cost Her Family Ties
- - Jimmy Kimmelâs Wife Says Trump Divide Has Cost Her Family Ties
Whitney DanhauerNovember 10, 2025 at 12:41 AM
0
Jimmy Kimmelâs ongoing feud with President Donald Trump has put a strain on some of his and his wife Molly McNearneyâs relationships with family members.
âWhat is it like to go from, like, a conservative family and become like, the Mockingjay of the other side?â We Can Do Hard Things podcast co-host Glennon Doyle asked McNearney, 47, on the November 6 episode.
âIt's definitely been challenging,â McNearney replied, explaining that she grew up âin a very conservative, Republicanâ household.
RELATED: Fans Concerned After Jimmy Kimmel Abruptly Canceled Show Due to âPersonal Matterâ
âI mean, I bought my dad a Rush Limbaugh tie in high school,â she continued. âI voted Republican, straight ticket, because thatâs what I was told to do.â
However, the mom of two added that her views changed once she moved out of St. Louis and âmet people from different backgrounds.â McNearney also said that she feels âa little bit of sympathy for people in my family who I feel are kind of being deliberately misinformed,â but that doesnât stop the hurt that she feels.
âIt hurts me so much because of the personal relationship I now have where my husband is out there fighting this man,â McNearney explained. âTo me, them voting for Trump is them not voting for my husband and me and our family. Unfortunately, I have kind of lost relationships with people in my family because of it. Itâs like this is not just Republican versus Democrat for me anymore. It is to me itâs family values, and it's really hard for me because I grew up believing in these Christian ideals of taking care of the sick and taking care of the poor and I don't see that happening with this Republican party.â
Presley Ann/Getty Images for Alliance for Women in Media Foundation
Kimmel, 57, also appeared on the podcast alongside McNearney and said that he has a âdifferent way of looking at itâ the situation.
âI just think theyâre being fed a constant stream of lies,â the late night host continued. âI think that we live in a country where we were programmed to believe the middle-aged white guy on television telling us the news. Fortunately, for most of our lives, we had good people in those positions. You know, your Walter Cronkite and Dan Rather and Ted Koppel and Peter Jennings and Tom Brokaw.â
Kimmel and McNearneyâs appearance came weeks after Jimmy Kimmel Live!was abruptly suspended on September 17 due to the hostâs comments about far-right political activist Charlie Kirkâs assassination one week prior.
Trump, 79, celebrated the showâs removal with a post on Truth Social.
"Great News for America: The ratings challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is CANCELLED," he wrote at the time. "Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done. Kimmel has ZERO talent, and worse ratings than even Colbert, if thatâs possible."
Less than a week later, however, the show returned to air.
This story was originally reported by Parade on Nov 9, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Source: âAOL Entertainmentâ