Jimmy Kimmel has offered a satirical solution to Donald Trump's handling of two very different protest crises, suggesting the president send Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents from Minneapolis to Iran instead. The late‑night host used his Monday monologue on Jimmy Kimmel Live to highlight what he sees as a stark double standard in the White House's approach to demonstrations at home and abroad, branding Trump the 'Lie-tollah' as he drew parallels with Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Kimmel said that 'whilst the White House is trying to squash the protests here, the Lie-atollah is said to be mulling over a military strike on Iran to support the protesters there', referring to Trump's threats to intervene militarily in Iran, where activists say at least 2,000 people have been killed in anti‑government demonstrations. He then joked, 'I have an idea: send all those guys from ICE out of Minneapolis to Iran. They could help.'
Trump's Contrasting Responses
The 58-year-old comedian delivered his comments as Trump continued to deploy additional ICE agents to Minneapolis following the fatal shooting of Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother of three killed by ICE agent Jonathan Ross on 7 January. Kimmel likened Trump's decision to 'throwing more grease on' a grease fire as thousands of Americans took to the streets over the weekend to protest Good's death.
Trump has publicly backed Iranian protesters through his Truth Social platform, writing that 'Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before' and declaring 'The USA stands ready to help!!!' The president told reporters on Air Force One that the military is examining 'some very strong options' for potential strikes against Iranian security forces who have violently suppressed demonstrations.
Crackdown in Minneapolis
In Minneapolis, Trump has sent more federal agents into the city and blocked local authorities from participating in the FBI's investigation into Good's death. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey had delivered his own blunt message to federal immigration officials: 'Get the fuck out of Minneapolis.'
Kimmel framed this clash as part of a broader pattern in which the administration treats domestic protesters as enemies rather than constituents. He argued that the White House is willing to talk about 'freedom' abroad, whilst portraying people demanding accountability at home as dangerous.
'ICE Ice Capades' goes viral
Kimmel's monologue took a lighter turn when he addressed what he called 'one bright spot' in the otherwise 'very dark' Minneapolis situation. The host aired a compilation of viral videos showing ICE agents slipping and falling on frozen streets in the frigid Minnesota weather, dubbing the segment the 'ICE Ice Capades'.
The footage showed federal agents sliding down icy pavements, struggling to move vehicles through the snow, and, in one clip, an agent falling backwards as he stepped out of a portable toilet. Protesters in Minneapolis have been filming these moments in temperatures around 16 degrees Fahrenheit and sharing them widely on social media.
Jimmy Kimmel just released a montage of ICE slipping on ice. I wonder how many of their frozen hearts shattered.
— Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) January 13, 2026
The ICE Ice Capades:pic.twitter.com/1k7s2rY9a9
Minnesota Election Claims and Political Stakes
Kimmel also aimed Trump's insistence that he won Minnesota in the 2016, 2020, and 2024 presidential elections, despite never actually carrying the state. Trump cited this belief as a reason he does not trust Minnesota officials with the investigation into Good's killing, telling reporters, 'I feel that I won Minnesota. I think I won it all three times,' and claiming people were 'crying every time after'.
Kimmel questioned why no one present pushed back with a simple follow‑up: 'What are you talking about?' He used the moment to argue that Trump's refusal to accept electoral reality now feeds into how he frames protest, policing, and which local officials he deems legitimate.
Why This Matters
The contrast between Trump's rhetoric on Iran and his response to protests in Minneapolis raises wider questions about how governments use force and language to manage civil unrest. While the president floats military intervention to support demonstrators in Iran, his administration has characterised protesters in Minneapolis as threats.
As Trump's national security team met to discuss possible military action against Iran, Kimmel's satirical proposal to 'swap' ICE agents into a foreign war zone sharpened criticism of an administration that talks about freedom overseas yet escalates crackdowns on dissent at home.
