Jimmy Kimmel's Wife Opens Up on Family Rift Over Trump Support: 'A Personal Betrayal'

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In a candid conversation on the We Can Do Hard Things podcast, Molly McNearney, the wife of late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, shared the emotional strain caused by family members who supported Donald Trump during his presidency. McNearney, the head writer and executive producer of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, revealed that her husband's vocal criticism of Trump created a rift within their family, making relatives' support for the president feel like a personal betrayal. Growing up in a conservative household in St. Louis, McNearney initially sympathized with her relatives' views. However, as she grew closer to her husband and developed her own values, she began to see the vast differences between their worldviews. "It hurts me so much because my husband is out there fighting this man," McNearney said, expressing her frustration with relatives who continued to support Trump despite her husband's efforts to hold him accountable. McNearney admitted to sending multiple emails before the 2024 election, urging her relatives to reconsider their support for Trump. However, her efforts were met with silence or hostility, further exacerbating the tension. The conflict has become a constant source of anger for McNearney, affecting every family gathering and interaction. "To me, them voting for Trump is them not voting for my husband and me and our family," she said, explaining that she has lost relationships with some family members as a result. This is not just a matter of Republican versus Democrat, McNearney emphasized, but a deeper issue of core values. "This is not just Republican versus Democrat for me anymore. It is … family values, and it's really hard for me," she said. The strain has also taken a toll on McNearney's health, with constant conflict and anger becoming a norm. Despite this, Jimmy Kimmel has maintained his adversarial tone with the president and his policies on the show, with his program briefly suspended in September after a controversy surrounding a comment he made following the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Kimmel's reinstatement has not altered his stance, leaving McNearney to navigate the complex emotions surrounding her family's divided loyalties.