Jimmy Kimmel Mocks Trump's Unfulfilled Threat to Destroy Iran

Late night host celebrates lack of action on president's 'Taco Tuesday of all Taco Tuesdays' deadline.

Apr. 8, 2026 at 7:34am

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An abstract close-up image of shattered glass and crumpled metallic foil, captured in dramatic high-contrast studio lighting to convey a sense of fragility and volatility.Kimmel's mockery of Trump's unfulfilled Iran threat reflects broader concerns about the president's impulsive foreign policy.Los Angeles Today

Jimmy Kimmel reflected on another day of controversial rhetoric from President Trump, who had threatened to 'decimate' Iran's power plants by a hard deadline of 5 p.m. local time. However, as Kimmel noted, the president ultimately did not follow through on his threat, leading the late night host to compare it to Trump's habit of making bold claims and then quickly backing down.

Why it matters

Kimmel's commentary highlights the ongoing tensions between the U.S. and Iran, as well as the unpredictable and often contradictory nature of Trump's foreign policy statements. The host's mockery also reflects broader concerns about the president's impulsive decision-making and the potential consequences of his words.

The details

On his show, Kimmel noted that Trump had given Iran a hard deadline of 5 p.m. local time to 'Open the f-ing straight or you'll be living in hell,' warning that 'a whole civilization will die tonight.' However, as the deadline passed, the president did not follow through on his threat. Kimmel quipped that this was 'the Taco Tuesday of all Taco Tuesdays,' as Trump often makes bold claims and then quickly backs down.

  • Trump gave Iran a hard deadline of 5 p.m. local time on April 8, 2026 to 'Open the f-ing straight or you'll be living in hell.'

The players

Jimmy Kimmel

The host of the late night talk show 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' who commented on Trump's unfulfilled threat to destroy Iran.

Donald Trump

The former president of the United States who threatened to 'decimate' Iran's power plants, but ultimately did not follow through on the threat.

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What they’re saying

“'We're coming to you from Los Angeles for the local time's just after 5 p.m., which was Trump's deadline for Iran to 'Open the f-ing straight or you'll be living in hell.' He gave a hard cut off time of right now. This morning he wrote, 'A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again.' … This is the same man that was just bitching about losing the Nobel Peace Prize. Now he's threatening a civilization with death. He went from Mahatma Gandhi to General Zod like that.'”

— Jimmy Kimmel, Late Night Host

“'This is how it goes every single time Trump says something insane. He says, 'I'm going to kill everybody tomorrow at 5 p.m.' Then we all freak out and then he backs off. He's like, 'You know what? Actually, I'll kill everyone in two weeks.' Then we relax, and then he forgets he ever said it in the first place. He has the memory and the skin color of a goldfish.'”

— Jimmy Kimmel, Late Night Host

The takeaway

Kimmel's commentary underscores the ongoing unpredictability and contradictions in Trump's foreign policy approach, as well as the broader concerns about the potential consequences of the president's impulsive rhetoric and decision-making.