Jimmy Kimmel criticized Donald Trump for joking that his supporters might be too poor to afford a meal at his Mar-a-Lago country club. Kimmel discussed Trump's comments on his show, "Jimmy Kimmel Live," questioning the president's decision to boast about the prices at his Florida resort while seeking to win over voters.
Trump made the remarks at a campaign rally in Corpus Christi, Texas, where he pledged to give Americans $5,000 if Republicans maintained control of Congress in the November midterm elections. He suggested supporters could use the money to visit Mar-a-Lago, but then added that the sum would likely only cover a hamburger and a small dessert.
"You could even come to Mar-a-Lago. I said it the other night. You'll be my guest at Mar-a-Lago," Trump told the rally attendees. "The problem is that for $5,000, the most you'll be able to buy is a hamburger and maybe a small dessert. I'm not even sure you could buy that."
Kimmel played a clip of Trump's remarks for his audience, eliciting boos. "Hold on. I have a question. Why are you saying this out loud?" Kimmel asked. "Why are you telling these people who've gathered to see you in their Chinese-made American flag Hawaiian shirts that they can't afford to eat at your house? How is that helping you?"
Kimmel then impersonated Trump and his wealthy associates, joking, "Me and my friends are so rich you could never eat with us. Hell, you probably couldn't even afford to park the car."
The exchange occurred days before the midterm elections, where Republicans were seeking to keep control of both houses of Congress. Kimmel also commented on Trump's repeated promises regarding the proposed payments, calling them "ridiculous and relentless."
Earlier in his segment, Kimmel had referred to Mar-a-Lago as Trump's "members-only mausoleum" and criticized the president's apparent disconnect from ordinary Americans. "He's completely out of touch," Kimmel stated. "And that's probably for the best. When he is in touch, it's usually without consent."
Kimmel concluded his remarks by referencing Trump's reported pride in personally selecting the marble for the White House, quipping, "I'll tell you, for a man who is very proud of the fact that he personally picked out all the marble in the White House, he really seems to be losing his."