In a candid interview with *The Daily Beast*, comedian Jim Gaffigan addressed his infamous 2020 anti-Trump tirades, reflecting on the fallout from his scathing tweets about the then-president. The stand-up comic, known for his relatable humor, expressed regret for the way his remarks alienated Trump supporters—many of whom were once loyal fans of his comedy.
Gaffigan’s 2020 Twitter spree came during a tumultuous year marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, the George Floyd riots, and the final stretch of Donald Trump’s first term. Breaking from his typically apolitical brand, Gaffigan unleashed a series of fiery tweets, calling Trump a “traitor and a con man” and accusing him of being “incompetent” during the pandemic. One tweet read, *“Look Trumpers, I get it. As a kid, I was a Cubs fan, and I know you stick by your team no matter what, but he’s a traitor and a con man who doesn’t care about you. Deep down, you know it.”*
For a comedian who had largely avoided divisive political commentary, the backlash was swift and severe. Speaking to *The Daily Beast*, Gaffigan admitted that his tweets were perceived as personal attacks on Trump supporters, something he claims was never his intention. “I regret that people think I was criticizing people that support Trump. That was never the intention,” he said. He acknowledged responding harshly to some fans at the time, recalling a moment when he told a follower who was disappointed in him, “F you.”
Gaffigan noted the difficulty of balancing authenticity with his broad audience. “Authenticity is really important—not just as a comedian, but also with your children,” he explained, hinting at the tension between staying true to his beliefs and maintaining his fan base.
The comedian also acknowledged the long-term impact of his remarks. While he doesn’t regret speaking his mind, he recognized that many die-hard Trump supporters who once enjoyed his comedy now refuse to forgive him. “There are true die-hard Trump fans who probably enjoyed my comedy, but because they feel so passionately, will never forgive me,” he said.
Still, Gaffigan seemed to accept that losing some fans is part of the comedy business. “Something I’ve noticed in doing stand-up for so long is, you’re going to lose people. You’re also going to attract people,” he said. Yet, the lingering sting of alienating a segment of his audience remains. He shared a humorous anecdote about his 18-year-old son commenting on one of his posts: *“I liked him until he went on his Trump rant.”*
While Gaffigan might try to walk back some of the fallout from his anti-Trump rants, the damage is done. His foray into divisive political commentary not only alienated a significant portion of his fan base but also raised questions about whether entertainers can—or should—mix politics with their craft.
As for his career, Gaffigan remains active in comedy, recently playing Minnesota Governor Tim Walz in an SNL skit. Whether he can win back the fans he lost—or if he even wants to—is another matter entirely. One thing is clear: alienating millions of Americans over politics is no laughing matter.
