Jimmy Kimmel Ribs Trump For Rejecting Harris’ Request To Keep Their Mics On During Debate: “We Are Keeping Him Muted For As Long As Humanly Possible”

By Radhamely De Leon
Published Sep. 6, 2024, 10:42 a.m. ET

Where to Stream:

Jimmy Kimmel Live

Powered by Reelgood

More On:

Jimmy Kimmel

While Donald Trump once argued against having his mic muted during presidential debates, he appears to have changed his tune now that he’s set to debate Kamala Harris for the very first time on ABC Sept. 10.

Jimmy Kimmel addressed the news during Thursday’s (Sept. 5) Live broadcast when he joked that the presidential candidates will be armed with “a knife” during the debate.

“They will not be allowed to consult with their teams. There will be no audience, though afterwards Trump will claim there were 30,000 fans screaming his name,” he joked.

He then pointed out that President Joe Biden requested that their mics be muted during the June debate when it was the other person’s turn to speak, a rule which Trump’s team readily agreed to.

“But Kamala’s team wanted the mics to be open for this one and Trump’s campaign said, ‘Oh no you don’t, we are keeping him muted for as long as humanly possible,'” he said. “So they’ll be muted.”

Kimmel then joked that President Biden should make an appearance, WWE-style.

“How great would it be if 30 minutes into this debate, Joe Biden runs out, hits Trump with a folding chair, ‘You’ve forgotten me!'”

The late night host later took pride in the fact that Trump called ABC, which will be hosting the Sept. 10 debate, the “worst network.”

“I just wanna say as someone who’s worked at ABC for more than two decades, thank you,” Kimmel replied. “I feel like I’ve played a part in making this the worst network. I only wish they let me moderate this debate.”

Since returning from his summer hiatus this week, Kimmel has been taking shots at Trump and his running mate, JD Vance, all week long.

He recently taunted the former president for being blocked from playing the song “Hold On I’m Coming” at his campaign rallies.

The suggestive title caused Kimmel and the Live audience to laugh as he joked, “He can still play it with his porn stars. But the rallies, no.”

Jimmy Kimmel Live airs on weeknights at 11:35/10:35c on ABC.