A Bitter Break: Obama and Kimmel’s Public Reckoning With Trump Sets Off Political Firestorm

WASHINGTON — In the space of a single week, two of the most recognizable voices in American media delivered a series of pointed, unsparing critiques of President Donald J. Trump that have reverberated far beyond the studios where they were recorded. Former President Barack Obama, speaking on his podcast “Renegades: Born in the USA,” and comedian Jimmy Kimmel, on his late-night program “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” each devoted extended segments to what they described as the president’s long-standing ties to Jeffrey Epstein and what they called a pattern of broken promises to his supporters.

The result has been one of the most intense public confrontations involving a sitting president since his first term, with the exchanges igniting viral clips, heated online debates and a fresh wave of scrutiny over Mr. Trump’s past associations.

Mr. Obama’s remarks, delivered in a calm but measured tone during a recent episode, marked a stark departure from the former president’s previous public restraint regarding Mr. Trump. Once a figure who largely avoided direct commentary on his successor, Mr. Obama now appeared to view the moment as urgent. He recounted conversations he said he had heard from young men who had supported Mr. Trump in 2016 and 2024, only to feel betrayed by what he described as unfulfilled pledges on jobs, immigration and economic opportunity.

“These are people who believed the promises,” Mr. Obama said. “They’re not asking for perfection. They’re asking for honesty. And when you see someone who once called Jeffrey Epstein a ‘terrific guy’ and then claims to have had no real relationship, it raises questions that cannot be dismissed.”

The reference to Mr. Epstein — the financier who died in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges — was particularly pointed. Court documents unsealed in recent years have shown that Mr. Trump and Mr. Epstein were acquaintances in the 1990s and early 2000s, socializing at parties in New York and Palm Beach, Fla. Mr. Trump has repeatedly said he cut ties with Mr. Epstein more than a decade before the financier’s arrest and that he was “not a fan.”

Mr. Kimmel’s monologue on Monday night was more theatrical but no less direct. Standing before a rapt studio audience, he replayed archival footage of Mr. Trump’s 2002 interview with New York magazine in which he called Mr. Epstein “a terrific guy” who liked “beautiful women … on the younger side.” Mr. Kimmel then paused the clip and addressed the camera: “That’s not just a casual remark. That’s a choice of words from someone who knew him well. And now, when the cameras are rolling, he wants us to believe he barely knew the man.”

The segments quickly became the most-watched political content of the week. Clips from both shows amassed more than 200 million views across social media platforms within 48 hours, according to analytics firms tracking digital engagement. On X, formerly Twitter, hashtags including #EpsteinFiles, #TrumpTakedown and #ObamaSpeaks trended for three consecutive days.

Inside the White House, aides described the president as privately furious, though no public statement has been issued. One senior official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Mr. Trump had watched portions of both broadcasts and told advisers he considered them “coordinated attacks” from “the same old swamp crowd.” The president has yet to sit for a formal interview addressing the renewed scrutiny.

The timing of the remarks has also fueled speculation about shifting political loyalties. Mr. Obama’s podcast, which has occasionally featured guests sympathetic to Mr. Trump’s populist message, had previously drawn criticism from some Democrats for giving airtime to those views. Its recent pivot has been interpreted by some analysts as a sign that the former president sees Mr. Trump’s hold on young male voters — a key demographic in recent elections — as newly vulnerable.

Political strategists from both parties say the exchanges are likely to have lasting effects. “This isn’t just late-night comedy or podcast chatter,” said Sarah Longwell, a Republican strategist and publisher of The Bulwark. “When two figures with the cultural reach of Obama and Kimmel decide to go all-in on this issue, it moves the conversation in ways that traditional news coverage sometimes cannot.”

For now, the episode has left Washington and much of the country waiting to see whether the president will respond directly — and whether the public reckoning over his past associations with Mr. Epstein has only just begun.