Jimmy Kimmel has higher approval rating than Donald Trump, poll finds

Jimmy Kimmel and then-Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump in 2015. (Entertainment Content via Getty Images)

A recent poll has found that late-night television host Jimmy Kimmel is more popular than President Donald Trump.

By the numbers:

According to YouGov poll, 44% of respondents said they hold a favorable view of Kimmel, compared with 41% who view him unfavorably. Fifteen percent said they were undecided, giving the comedian a net favorability rating of +3.

RELATED: Presidents Trump, Obama react to ABC's Jimmy Kimmel decision

Trump, meanwhile, received favorable ratings from 41% of respondents, while 54% said they view him unfavorably. Another 5% were undecided, resulting in a -13 net favorability for the president.

What they're saying:

"I am more popular than the President of the United States," Kimmel said during his show monologue Monday night. 

RELATED: Jimmy Kimmel to return to late-night after ABC suspension

"At this point, finding a toenail in your salad has a seven-point lead over Donald Trump," he joked.

The other side:

Trump has not made a direct statement regarding the poll. 

Trump takes aim at Kimmel after show temporarily canceled 

The backstory:

Kimmel returned to late-night television last month after a nearly weeklong suspension and, in an emotional monologue where he appeared close to tears, said that he wasn’t trying to joke about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

"I have no illusions about changing anyone’s mind, but I do want to make something clear, because it’s important to me as a human and that is, you understand that it was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man," Kimmel said. "I don’t think there’s anything funny about it."

Kimmel’s suspension came after an angry reaction to comments he made in monologues. A relentless Trump critic in his comedy, Kimmel suggested that many Trump supporters were trying to capitalize on Kirk’s death and were "desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them."

The incident triggered a national discussion about freedom of speech and Trump’s ability to police the words of journalists, commentators and even comics. ABC suspended Kimmel’s show following criticism of his remarks about the aftermath of Kirk’s killing. But the network brought him back following a backlash against parent company Disney.

Trump had hailed Kimmel’s suspension and criticized his return, writing on his Truth Social platform: "I can’t believe ABC Fake News gave Jimmy Kimmel his job back ... Why would they want someone back who does so poorly, who’s not funny, and who puts the Network in jeopardy by playing 99% positive Democrat GARBAGE."

The Source: The Associated Press contributed to this report. The information in this story comes primarily from a YouGov poll. This story was reported from Los Angeles. 

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