Jimmy Kimmel's wife 'lost' relationships with family over their Donald Trump support
Jimmy Kimmel's wife, Molly McNearney, has "lost" relationships with her family because of their support for Donald Trump.
Jimmy Kimmel's wife has "lost" relationships with her family because of their support for Donald Trump.
Molly McNearney - who is the executive producer and co-head writer on her husband's talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live! - grew up in a "very conservative, Republican" home in St. Louis but her political beliefs changed when she moved away and began encountering "people from different backgrounds" and she admitted her differing views has caused a big strain on the bonds with her relatives.
Asked about the difference on the We Can Do Hard Things podcast, Molly said: “It's definitely been challenging.”
She recalled feeling "upset" when Trump was first elected president in 2016 but could "understand" why people had voted for him, but it was different when he returned to office last year.
Molly noted she had "sympathy" for those who “are deliberately being misinformed every day".
But she added: “It hurts me so much because of the personal relationship I now have where my husband is out there fighting this man.
“And to me, them voting for Trump is them not voting for my husband and me and our family."
The 47-year-old writer then admitted "unfortunately" she has “lost relationships with people in my family because of it.”
She added: “This is not just Republican versus Democrat for me anymore.
“It is, to me, it's family values and it's really hard for me because I grew up believing in these Christian ideals of taking care of the sick and taking care of the poor and I don't see that happening with this Republican party.
“I feel like I'm kind of in constant conflict and I'm angry all the time, which isn't healthy at all. But I personalise everything now. When I see these terrible stories every day, I'm immediately mad at certain aunts, uncles, cousins who put him in power. And it's really hard.”
Although Molly - who has Jane, 11, and Billy, eight, with her 57-year-old husband - sometimes feels "silly" about the family feud, she insisted it is important to support her own "values".
She said: “I've sent many emails to family, like right before the election saying, ‘I'm begging you. Here's the 10 reasons not to vote for this guy. Please don't.’ And I either got ignored by 90% of them or got truly insane responses from a few. It's definitely caused a strain.
“I've definitely pulled in closer with the family that I feel more aligned with. And I hate that this has happened, you know? It feels silly. You know, part of me goes, ‘Don't let politics get in the way.’ But to me, this isn't politics. It's truly values. And we just were not aligned anymore."
Molly's comments came weeks after the president gloated when Jimmy's show was taken off air following remarks the host - who is also dad to Katie, 34, and Kevin, 32, from his first marriage to Gina Maddy - had made about the killing of Charlie Kirk.
Trump posted on his Truth Social platform at the time: "Great News for America: The ratings challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is CANCELLED.
"Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done. Kimmel has ZERO talent, and worse ratings than even Colbert, if that’s possible."
Less than a week later, ABC confirmed the return of the programme, prompting the president to ask why they wanted "someone back who does so poorly, who’s not funny, and who puts the Network in jeopardy by playing 99% positive Democrat GARBAGE.”
