After Donald Trump fired Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem on Thursday, Jimmy Kimmel was having the last laugh. On Thursday night’s edition of “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” the late night host poked some fun at the embattled Noem, who was finally let go after several scandals.

That included her claim that Trump approved her $220 million border security advertising campaign that was seen as self-promotional; a multi-million-dollar jet fleet paid for by border funds; her relationship with top aide Corey Lewandowski; and how she falsely called Alex Pretti, the Minnesota man killed by ICE agents, was a “domestic terrorist.”

In his opening monologue, Kimmel pointed out that this felt like the latest installment of a Trump scripted TV show — and in this case, a “Game of Thrones” moment.

“Today – we had a red wedding on that TV show,” he said. “A shocking elimination on the ‘Celebrity Appresident,’ as Trump finally fired a member of his cabinet. It’s the first one of his second term.”

Kimmel noted that the now-former Secretary of Homeland Security was let go after “two disastrous hearings in the House and Senate” and was now, as Trump explained, “‘…moving to be Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas, our new Security Initiative in the Western Hemisphere.’”

What, exactly, is that? “I think I speak for all of us when I say, we wish Kristi luck in her brand-new, completely made-up job,” Kimmel quipped. “It’s interesting – Trump was said to be particularly unhappy with Noem’s testimony claiming that he signed off on a $220 million ad campaign that featured her in commercials wearing different outfits, rounding up immigrants and riding a horse.

“Trump claims he didn’t know anything about it. Even though we all knew everything about it. But you know him, he doesn’t watch much television.”

Kimmel knows that’s not true, and directly addressed him: “Hi, President Trump, how are ya!”

Kimmel also pointed out that not long before she got the boot, Noem and the DHS had been pushing back against criticism of those commericials, calling them “the most successful ad campaign in U.S. history.”

Asked the host: “Even more than ‘Where’s the Beef?’ More than ‘Whazzzzup!’? I don’t know – if that’s true, that’s very impressive. You know, the funniest thing would be if they deport her to El Salvador.”

Kimmel then added that Trump’s replacement for Noem was Oklahoma senator Markwayne Mullin — a former MMA fighter and a plumber.

“According to White House staffers, Trump ‘loves watching him on TV,’” Kimmel said. “I agree. I love watching him on TV too… in the same way I loved watching Honey Boo Boo on TV.”

Also in the monologue, Kimmel noted that according to polls, a majority of Americans are not in favor of the war on Iran, and that “a majority of Americans think Trump is making the U.S. less safe. But that is according to a poll from those radical left-wing lunatics at Fox News.”

And he also noted that of the more than 47,000 documents “that mysteriously vanished from the government’s website, some of these missing files contain disturbing allegations against a person who for legal reasons I can’t say his name, but he’s currently the President.” Those missing files have finally been published — and include a transcript of the accuser’s interviews.

As Kimmel noted: “Can you imagine if the DOJ had been holding FBI interviews with a woman who claimed that Joe Biden sexually assaulted her when she was a young teenager? It would be rage boner-palooza at Fox News.”

Watch the monologue here:

An Iranian ship offloaded more than 200 members of its crew to Sri Lanka on Friday after suffering an engine failure at sea, just days after a U.S. submarine sank an Iranian warship in an Indian Ocean torpedo attack. 

The IRIS Bushehr, described in previous Iranian media reports as a navy logistics ship, is being brought first to the port of Colombo, according to Sri Lanka navy spokesman Cmdr. Buddhika Sampath. Sailors are being taken to a naval base in Welisara following medical exams and immigration procedures. 

“We have to understand that this is not an ordinary situation,” Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said Thursday. “It’s a request by a ship belonging to one party to enter into our port. We have to consider that according to the international treaties and conventions.” 

Dissanayake added that authorities decided to take control of the IRIS Bushehr following discussions with Iranian officials and the ship’s captain, after one of its engines failed. He said some crew members would remain on board to help the Sri Lankan navy later navigate the vessel to Trincomalee on the island’s northeast coast, about 165 miles from Colombo.

The moves come after the U.S. sank the Iranian warship IRIS Dena off Sri Lanka’s coast on Wednesday.  

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said it was “the first sinking of an enemy ship by a torpedo since World War II.” 

The Indian navy said Thursday that it had initiated search and rescue operations after receiving a distress signal from the Dena, deploying two aircraft along with a sailing training vessel. By the time the response was launched, the Sri Lankan navy had already started its own rescue efforts, it said.

The Sri Lankan navy rescued 32 sailors and recovered 87 bodies after the attack, according to The Associated Press. 

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Thursday that the U.S. will “bitterly regret” striking and sinking that ship. 

“The U.S. has perpetrated an atrocity at sea, 2,000 miles away from Iran’s shores,” Araqchi wrote on X. “Frigate Dena, a guest of India’s Navy carrying almost 130 sailors, was struck in international waters without warning.”

US ‘WINNING DECISIVELY’ AGAINST IRAN, WILL ACHIEVE ‘COMPLETE CONTROL’ OF AIRSPACE WITHIN DAYS, HEGSETH SAYS

“Mark my words: The U.S. will come to bitterly regret precedent it has set,” he added. 

Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine told reporters at the Pentagon on Wednesday that the Iranian vessel was “effectively neutralized” in a Navy “fast attack” using a single Mark 48 torpedo.

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He added that the U.S. Navy achieved “immediate effect, sending the warship to the bottom of the sea.” 

Fox News’ Stephen Sorace, Landon Mion and The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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US president stakes out maximalist war aims as conflict wreaks havoc across the region amid rising death toll.

Donald Trump has stressed that any deal with Iran must result in the country’s “unconditional surrender”, setting maximalist war objectives for the United States.

The US president’s remarks on his Truth Social platform on Friday appear to reject the prospect of a compromise amid Iranian confirmation of diplomatic mediation to end the conflict.

“There will be no deal with Iran except UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!” Trump wrote.

“After that, and the selection of a GREAT & ACCEPTABLE Leader(s), we, and many of our wonderful and very brave allies and partners, will work tirelessly to bring Iran back from the brink of destruction, making it economically bigger, better, and stronger than ever before.”

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian had said earlier that some countries are engaging in mediation efforts to end the war, stressing that Iran is committed to peace in the region but prepared to defend itself.

“Mediation should address those who underestimated the Iranian people and ignited this conflict,” Pezeshkian said in a social media statement.

The conflict has spread across the Middle East, igniting Iranian attacks across the Gulf and a war between Hezbollah and Israel, resulting in a mass displacement crisis in Lebanon.

Iran has been launching missiles and drones at Israel and US interests and assets across the region. Iranian forces have also targeted energy and civilian infrastructure in Gulf countries, straining ties with the Arab world.

The violence, which saw Iran largely succeed in closing down the Strait of Hormuz, has sent oil prices soaring globally.

Iranian officials have expressed defiance since the start of the war, stressing that they are ready for a long conflict and prepared to fend off a US ground invasion should it occur.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a message to Trump on Thursday that the US plan for a “clean rapid military victory failed”.

“Your Plan B will be even bigger failure,” Araghchi wrote on X.

On Friday, Iran’s top diplomat posted a photo of the coffins of a mother and child, the apparent victims of US-Israeli attacks. “Our Brave and Powerful Armed Forces will avenge each and every Iranian mother, father, and child who has been targeted by hostile forces,” Araghchi wrote.

The war has killed at least 1,332 people in Iran, among them 181 children, according to UNICEF.

The deadliest incident was a strike on a girls’ primary school in the southern city of Minab on the opening day of the conflict, which Iranian authorities said killed about 180 pupils and staff.

The Trump administration has pushed to project confidence and dominance over Iran, with top officials saying that the US would “rain missiles”, “death and destruction” on the country.

In recent days, Trump has stressed that he would like to replicate the Venezuela playbook in Iran – keeping the governing system in place but installing a leader who is friendly to US interests.

On Wednesday, Trump said he has to be “involved” in choosing the successor of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was assassinated in a US-Israeli attack on Saturday.