Donald Trump renews feud with Jimmy Kimmel during Kennedy Center Honors hosting speech.

Donald Trump, the current president, has reignited his verbal conflict with late night television personality Jimmy Kimmel.

“A president has never hosted these awards previously. This marks a new precedent,” the 79-year-old Trump stated on Saturday, December 7, during his appearance as host of the Kennedy Center Honors, according to Deadline. “I anticipate receiving glowing feedback, don't you think? You know, they will likely label me as awful. They'll claim I was dreadful. It was a terrible predicament. No, everything will be fine.”

Trump subsequently drew comparisons between himself and past hosts of the ceremony, asserting that he had observed “some of the individuals who host” prior to taking the stage that night.

“Jimmy Kimmel performed terribly, along with others,” Trump continued. “If I am unable to surpass Jimmy Kimmel in skill, then I question whether I deserve to be president.” (It should be noted that Kimmel has never served as the primary host of the Kennedy Center Honors, though he did participate in the 2012 ceremony during Barack Obama’s presidency.)

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The most recent statements from the president extend his protracted dispute with the television host and humorist. When Kimmel was temporarily removed from broadcast in September following comments he made concerning the shooting death of conservative figure Charlie Kirk, Trump was one of his most prominent detractors.

“Wonderful News for America: The Jimmy Kimmel Show, which struggles with ratings, has been CANCELLED,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform in September. “I applaud ABC for finally demonstrating the nerve to execute what was necessary.”

Trump additionally criticized fellow late night hosts Seth Meyers and Jimmy Fallon in actions widely interpreted as undermining free speech and press freedom. (Brendan Carr, the head of the Federal Communications Commission, issued threats against ABC, Disney, and Kimmel during an appearance on a far-right podcast following the host’s monologue but before the show's removal, leading to significant backlash and accusations of a clear overreach of authority.)

“Kimmel possesses ABSOLUTELY no talent, and his ratings are even lower than Colbert’s, if that’s conceivable,” he wrote. “This leaves Jimmy and Seth, a pair of complete failures, airing on Fake News NBC. Their ratings are similarly abysmal. Act on it, NBC!!! President DJT.”

Trump expressed diminished enthusiasm when Kimmel was returned to ABC’s programming on September 23, 2025.

“It is incomprehensible that ABC Fake News restored Jimmy Kimmel to his position,” Trump started a subsequent Truth Social message then. “ABC informed the White House that his program had been terminated! Events transpired between that time and the present because his viewership has VANISHED, and his ‘abilities’ were always non-existent. Why would they bring back someone who performs so badly, lacks humor, and jeopardizes the Network by broadcasting 99% positive Democrat RUBBISH.”

The president persisted, “He functions as another extension of the DNC and, based on my understanding, this would amount to a significant Unlawful Campaign Contribution. I believe we will challenge ABC on this matter. We shall observe the outcome. The previous instance I confronted them, I received $16 Million Dollars. This situation appears even more profitable. A collection of true failures! May Jimmy Kimmel suffer in his poor Ratings.”

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Trump has maintained his consistent criticism of other late night hosts as well. In November, Trump renewed his focus on Meyers.

“Seth Meyers of NBC might be the individual with the least ‘performing’ skill in television history,” the president posted via Truth Social on November 1. “Indeed, he could be the ABSOLUTE worst performer, whether live or otherwise. I viewed his program recently for the first time in years. During the episode, he unnecessarily discussed electric catapults on aircraft carriers, which I criticize as inferior to the significantly cheaper steam catapults.”