Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel says he’s obtained Italian citizenship as a backup plan in case he needs to leave the United States during Donald Trump’s second term.
Speaking on The Sarah Silverman Podcast, Kimmel explained that he qualified through his great-grandparents, who emigrated from Ischia, Italy, in the 19th century. “I thought, well, I have this in my back pocket in case something weird happens. And, you know, something weird happened,” he said.
Kimmel described the current political climate under Trump as “so much worse” than expected. “It’s as bad as you thought it was gonna be — it’s so much worse. It’s just unbelievable,” he added.
The comedian joins a small group of celebrities who have considered or made moves abroad since Trump returned to the White House. Rosie O’Donnell relocated to Ireland, while Ellen DeGeneres moved to the U.K. Kimmel said his plan is a precaution, not an immediate decision, but acknowledged he wanted an option if “things got really bad.”
