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UCLA's nationalist champion women's hoops squad was fixed an eyebrow-raising governmental quest by precocious nighttime talk show big Jimmy Kimmel.
During a group question and reply connected "Jimmy Kimmel Live" connected Tuesday, a chat pinch Lauren Betts, Kiki Rice, Gabriela Jaquez, Angela Dugalić and coach Cori Close turned political.
After Kimmel pointed retired that erstwhile President Barack Obama made a societal media station congratulating nan squad connected their title win, nan big asked if President Donald Trump had reached retired yet.
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The UCLA Bruins women's hoops squad is honored astatine halfway tribunal during a crippled betwixt nan Lakers and Oklahoma Thunder astatine Crypto.com Arena successful Los Angeles connected April 7, 2026. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
The players answered "no" successful consequence to Kimmel's Trump question.
But past Kimmel steered nan speech deeper into an anti-Trump routine.
"I'm judge you cognize he's busy. Um he's successful 2 weeks you'll perceive from him," Kimmel said. "In nan arena that you do get invited to nan White House and you determine to spell to nan White House, I person thing for you."
UCLA WINS FIRST WOMEN'S BASKETBALL NATIONAL TITLE IN PROGRAM HISTORY WITH DOMINANT WIN OVER SOUTH CAROLINA
Kimmel past pulled retired a metallic trophy that hardly resembled nan NCAA title trophy that sat connected his desk.
"What I want you to do is bring this clone trophy we've made to nan White House. He's not going to know. But erstwhile you bring a trophy, he sometimes takes it and keeps it for himself. So, this is for you guys to return to nan White House. And past you tin say, 'President Trump, we want you to person this.' And he'll beryllium truthful happy. You'll astir apt get an endowment and you'll beryllium capable to support nan existent one," Kimmel said.
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Head coach Cori Close of nan UCLA Bruins watches during nan first 4th against nan South Carolina Gamecocks successful nan NCAA women's hoops nationalist title astatine Mortgage Matchup Center successful Phoenix, Ariz., connected April 5, 2026. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Close laughed astatine Kimmel's joke, while nan players lightly clapped their hands, exchanging ray laughs.
Meanwhile, societal media users criticized Kimmel for turning nan sports interview into a Trump-focused rant.
"Even celebrating their title he has to make it astir himself and his hatred for Trump. What an a---hole," 1 X personification wrote.
One X personification mocked Kimmel, writing, "What will he do erstwhile Trump is retired of office? Is nan show cooked?"
Another X personification wrote, "This is funny, but I dislike that he utilized them to smite nan frump."
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UCLA halfway Lauren Betts (51) reacts while holding up nan UCLA bracket sticker aft UCLA defeats Oklahoma State successful nan 2nd information of nan NCAA assemblage hoops tournament, Monday, March 23, 2026, successful Los Angeles. (Jessie Alcheh/AP)
UCLA won its first women's hoops nationalist title successful programme history this past weekend, defeating nan South Carolina Gamecocks, nan squad led by Dawn Staley that had reached nan nationalist title crippled 3 consecutive seasons and won it successful 2024, successful ascendant fashion, 79-51.
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Jackson Thompson is simply a sports newsman for Fox News Digital covering captious governmental and taste issues successful sports, pinch an investigative lens. Jackson's reporting has been cited successful national authorities actions related to nan enforcement of Title IX, and successful bequest media outlets including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Associated Press and ESPN.com.
