Jimmy Kimmel urges viewers to vote ‘disgusting’ Trump out of office over George Floyd protest response

Jimmy Kimmel has urged viewers to vote “disgusting” Donald Trump out of office following his response to the George Floyd protests.

On Friday’s episode of his US talk show (29 May), Kimmel expressed horror at Trump’s tweet about the protests, which included the phrase: “When the looting starts, the shooting starts”.

“Our disgusting excuse for a president, Mr Tough Guy, decides ‘I know what I’ll do, I’ll make this worse’,” Kimmel said. “At one o’clock in the morning, instead of trying to make peace, Donald Trump makes a violent threat.”

Kimmel continued: “Our president is threatening to order the military to shoot Americans, specifically black Americans. And then of course today, as he often does when he says something idiotic, he tried to reel that in. The sad thing about how much he lies is, he isn’t even good at it.”

Kimmel expressed disbelief that anyone could continue to support Trump after his tweets, describing the president as a man who “clearly and intentionally inflames violence in the middle of a riot to show how tough he is”.

“I don’t care what you are,” Kimmel added, “right, left, Republican, Democrat – I can’t imagine there are many of us who want that. Enough is enough. We’ve got to vote this guy out already.”

Trump’s tweet was placed behind a warning on Twitter following its publication, with the platform describing it as “glorifying violence”.

He later threatened protesters who had gathered outside the White House with “vicious dogs” and “ominous weapons”.

Protests have ignited across the US following the death of Floyd, who was killed by a white police officer who continued to kneel on his neck despite Floyd pleading for his life.