Jim Gaffigan, the renowned comedian, recently opened up about his 2020 tweets critiquing former President Trump. Reflecting on the impact of those posts, Gaffigan expressed regret that his words were perceived as personal attacks on Trump supporters. In an interview with The Daily Beast, he clarified his intentions: “I regret that people think I was criticizing people that support Trump. That was never the intention.”
Back in 2020, Gaffigan took to Twitter to voice his disapproval of Trump during the re-election campaign. He likened Trump supporters to devoted sports fans and labeled Trump a “traitor and a con man.” His criticisms extended to Trump’s handling of the pandemic, tweeting pointed remarks such as, “You know Trump just creates enemies. You know you can’t trust him… Trump talks about the Space Program, and you can’t safely go to a movie. Wake up.”
You know Trump just creates enemies. You know you can't trust him. You know he been incompetent during this crisis. You know all those people didn't need to die. Trump talks about the Space Program and you can't safely go to a movie. Wake up
— Jim Gaffigan (@JimGaffigan) August 28, 2020
Despite standing by his decision to post these tweets, Gaffigan now finds himself torn over the backlash they received. He shared, “There are true die-hard Trump fans who probably enjoyed my comedy but will never forgive me.” Acknowledging that alienating audiences is sometimes inevitable in his line of work, he noted, “You’re going to lose people. You’re also going to attract people.”
When questioned about whether he lost fans due to these posts, Gaffigan admitted it’s hard to quantify but shared an amusing anecdote involving his son: “My 18-year-old son commented, ‘I liked him until he went on his Trump rant.’” This humorous reflection highlights how even within families there can be differing views on political matters.
“I don’t regret it, but I also do acknowledge that there are true die-hard Trump fans who probably enjoyed my comedy, but because they feel so passionately will never forgive me.” — @jimgaffigan https://t.co/64d811Wqnv
— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) January 1, 2025
Gaffigan also faced scrutiny for jokes made at the Al Smith Dinner where he poked fun at both Trump and Kamala Harris. Some liberals accused him of “normalizing a fascist,” which underscores how divisive political humor can be in today’s climate. Yet Gaffigan anticipated criticism from all sides and remarked confidently, “I knew I’d get criticism from both sides,” adding that he believed it was worth it.