Jimmy Kimmel mocks Trump admin's turkey pardoning, ‘See? Fascists have fun too’
Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel took a jab at President Donald Trump’s administration regarding the annual Thanksgiving turkey pardoning ceremony, mocking the event and joking that "fascists have fun too."

Jimmy Kimmel calls Trump, Leavitt 'fascists' while joking about White House turkey pardons

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Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel took a jab at President Donald Trump’s administration and the annual Thanksgiving turkey pardoning ceremony, mocking the event and joking that "fascists have fun, too."

Kimmel riffed on the pardoned birds, Gobble and Waddle, during his Tuesday show. 

"These are the birds that were spared," Kimmel said. "Their names are Gobble and Waddle, which is what Trump does every night at dinner: gobble and waddle."

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Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel took a jab at President Donald Trump’s administration regarding the annual Thanksgiving turkey pardoning ceremony, mocking the event and joking that "fascists have fun, too." (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

The comedian then played a clip of Waddle being brought into the White House press briefing room, where press secretary Karoline Leavitt introduced the bird while holding her young son.

"Hi Waddle, my goodness, he's a beautiful bird," Leavitt said

A representative of the National Turkey Federation (NTF) then asked Waddle, "Want to give us a gobble?"

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President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump pardon the national Thanksgiving turkey Gobble in the Rose Garden of the White House, Nov. 25, 2025.  (Evan Vucci/The Associated Press )

Waddle obliged, and Kimmel responded, saying "See? Fascists have fun, too. It's fun." 

Kimmel's "fascists" label for the Trump administration drew criticism from the conservative media watchdog NewsBusters, who flagged the clip.

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"On Tuesday, there was a moment of apolitical fun at the White House…  Unfortunately, ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel just had to ruin it by reacting, 'See? Fascists have fun too,'" news analyst Alex Christy wrote.

There's no love lost between Trump and Kimmel. Trump has repeatedly called for Kimmel's firing at ABC, and Kimmel is a fierce critic of him and his administration.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt (R) holds her son Nicholas as Waddle, one of the National Thanksgiving turkeys, visits the press briefing room of the White House, prior to the turkey pardoning ceremony with US President Donald Trump on Nov. 25, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Andrew Cabellero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)

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Rachel del Guidice is a reporter for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to rachel.delguidice@fox.com.