Jimmy Kimmel mocked the White House for suggesting Donald Trump could step into the role of James Bond, quipping that “007” was more likely the president’s approval rating.
The late night host weighed in on the Trump administration’s casting pitch during Monday’s monologue for “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” where he roasted the odd posts coming from both the president and his team.
“Trump also posted about how young he looks,” Kimmel noted. “He said, ‘President Trump ages in reverse.’ Like, you’re not aging in reverse. Wearing diapers does not mean you’re aging in reverse.”
At this moment, Kimmel also called out the White House for “jump[ing] on the crazy train,” as they responded to the news about the hunt for Bond with a mock-up of Trump as the titular superspy.
“Grab ’em by the ‘Octopussy.’ We got a new James Bond in town,” Kimmel quipped, referencing the 13th Bond movie, which starred Roger Moore as the MI6 agent.
“I think 007 is his approval rating right now,” he continued. “Imagine being a very unpopular president in the middle of a very unpopular war. The cost of everything is skyrocketing. Gas is very expensive. And you are spending your time posting online about how hot you are, how you captured an alien and how you should be the next James Bond.”
Watch Kimmel’s full monologue below.
The commentary comes less than a week after it was confirmed that James Bond casting was finally underway, as Nina Gold was tapped to find the next 007.
“The search for the next James Bond is underway,” a spokesperson for Amazon MGM Studios said Thursday in a statement. “While we don’t plan to comment on specific details during the casting process, we’re excited to share more news with 007 fans as soon as the time is right.”
The upcoming iteration of the British spy classic will be directed by Denis Villeneuve and produced by Amy Pascal and David Heyman. The iconic MI6 agent was previously played by Daniel Craig, Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Moore, Timothy Dalton and Pierce Brosnan.
“Jimmy Kimmel Live!” airs weeknights at 11:35 p.m. ET on ABC.
