US talk show host Jimmy Kimmel has obtained Italian citizenship, citing Donald Trump’s return to the White House as a key factor.
Kimmel revealed the move on The Sarah Silverman Podcast, saying the president’s second term was “so much worse” than expected. Italy’s Ansa news agency confirmed he gained citizenship earlier this year after proving his lineage.
“I did get Italian citizenship,” Kimmel said. “What’s going on is as bad as you thought … it’s just unbelievable.”
Kimmel qualified through his grandmother Edith, whose family came from Candida in Avellino province. In June, he spoke of his heritage at an Italian Republic Day event in Los Angeles, recalling how his grandfather’s parents left Ischia for New York after an 1883 earthquake.
His case comes shortly after Italy approved a reform tightening approval of citizenship through descent.
Other US celebrities have also sought alternatives since Trump’s 2024 victory. Rosie O’Donnell moved to Ireland in January. Ellen DeGeneres and her wife Portia de Rossi relocated to the UK, citing quality of life and fears for LGBTQ+ rights.
Kimmel joins a group of late-night hosts who have criticised the Trump administration. In May, CBS cancelled The Late Show with Stephen Colbert weeks after he attacked the network for settling a lawsuit with Trump. Trump later wrote online that Kimmel was “next” to be fired.
