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Jelly Roll Says He’s ‘Pretty Down the Middle’ in Candid Kimmel Exit

Jelly Roll used his final night as guest host of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" to explain where he stands politically after spending much of his career avoiding the subject. According to Fox News , the country music star, whose…

Andrew PowellAug 29, 20263 min read

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Jelly Roll used his final night as guest host of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" to explain where he stands politically after spending much of his career avoiding the subject.

According to Fox News, the country music star, whose real name is Jason DeFord, had faced criticism after joking about President Donald Trump’s weight, fitness and approval ratings earlier in the week.

On Thursday, he pushed back against the idea that the jokes meant he had adopted a partisan political identity.

"A lot of people seem to think these Jimmy Kimmel writers have secretly been pulling the strings and forcing this good old country boy to poke fun at our commander-in-chief," Jelly Roll told the audience.

He also joked about the reaction to his comments, saying people had gone from assuming he was "MAGA" to viewing him as a "liberal snowflake."

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Jelly Roll

said appearing on Kimmel's show or attending the UFC Freedom 250 event at the White House should not automatically be interpreted as an endorsement of everything associated with either setting.

"Sure, I lean left on some things," he said. "But like most folks, I’m pretty down the middle."

He described himself as a Christian, country singer, farmer and bow hunter, saying those parts of his identity do not fit neatly into a political party.

The singer also addressed why he had previously avoided discussing politics, pointing to the 2026 Grammy Awards.

He said he was asked about the country's political climate after winning awards and struggled to respond because he feared his comments would immediately be treated as a political statement.

"Looking back, I don’t necessarily regret asking for more time before I spoke," Jelly Roll said. "I wish more people took more time before they spoke."

He said he had spent years trying to avoid identifying with a political party and noted that he only became eligible to vote in March. He said he intends to vote in the upcoming November midterm elections but did not say which candidate or party he supports.

Jelly Roll said his goal is to "speak for the unspoken for," arguing that compassion and human dignity should not belong to one side of the political divide.

"My daddy always told me it is never too late to do the right thing," he said.

He closed with a story about his father, whom he described as a "blue back Democrat," and an uncle who was a "red hat Republican."

Despite their political differences, Jelly Roll said, the two men were "absolutely best friends."

Watch the video below: