Jimmy Kimmel on Tuesday sharply challenged Sen. J.D. Vance after airing a clip in which Vance said “most of the lunatics in American politics today are proud members of the far left.” Kimmel called the assertion “complete bullshit,” saying it conflicted with public assessments about the sources of domestic extremist violence.
Kimmel, the host of ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live!, played footage of Vance making the remark while guest-hosting a conservative podcast and then walked through why he said the claim was false. "And by statistical fact, he means complete bullshit," Kimmel said, pointing to assessments from law enforcement and intelligence agencies that have highlighted far-right violent extremism as a major domestic threat.
Kimmel also raised the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol as a counterpoint, asking rhetorically, "Who wanted to hang the guy who was vice president before you? Was that the liberal left or the toothless army who stormed the Capitol on January 6th?" The comment referred to violent chants directed at then-Vice President Mike Pence during the Capitol breach.
The late-night host further noted that a Justice Department report he said had supported the view that far-right violence poses a significant threat had recently been removed from the department's website. Kimmel presented the removal as part of his critique of Vance's broader claim, attributing the observation to publicly available material and the clip he aired.
Sen. J.D. Vance, a Republican from Ohio, has been a frequent voice on conservative media and was guest-hosting the podcast when he made the remarks Kimmel aired. In the clip, Vance said that while there are "crazies" on both sides, a statistical fact favored the left. Kimmel countered that characterization by invoking law enforcement findings and the events of Jan. 6.
Public statements and threat assessments issued by the Justice Department and the FBI in recent years have emphasized the role of racially motivated violent extremists and other far-right actors in domestic terrorism. Federal investigations into the Jan. 6 attack and subsequent prosecutions have largely focused on far-right participants involved in the breach of the Capitol. Those findings have figured prominently in public debate over which movements and ideologies pose the greatest risk of extremist violence in the United States.
Kimmel framed his rebuke as a demand for accountability over public claims about political violence. He urged viewers to consider recent events and official assessments when evaluating broad statements about which side of the political spectrum is responsible for the greatest share of extremist acts.
A spokesman for Vance did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Kimmel's segment. Representatives for the Justice Department did not immediately provide comment on the report Kimmel said had been removed from the department's website.
The exchange illustrates how late-night television continues to intersect with partisan debates over domestic extremism, with entertainers and elected officials using broadcast moments to contest one another's characterizations of national security risks and recent political violence.