Jimmy Kimmel Chides Trump for Hosting Kennedy Center Honors and Notes His ABC Contract Extension: ‘It Means a Lot to Have Your Attention’
While Jimmy Kimmel noted his contract extension with Disney during Monday night’s broadcast of “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” he also jabbed at President Donald Trump for the job he did as host of Sunday’s Kennedy Center Honors.
At a Saturday event related to the Kennedy Center Honors, Trump singled out Kimmel as a “horrible” TV host. Kimmel responded on Monday’s monologue with his own critique.
“I thought we were friends. I’m starting to think he’s got a crush on me,” Kimmel joked, pointing out Trump’s weekend activities at the Kennedy Center Honors and the FIFA World Cup 2026 Draw, also held in D.C.
“He’s been boasting about hosting, saying, ‘We’ve never had a president host the Kennedy Center Honors before,’ which, yeah, why do you think that is?” Kimmel asked during his monologue. “We’ve also never had Neil Patrick Harris order a military strike on a fishing boat before.”
Later in his monologue, Kimmel told the crowd he has renewed his deal to host “Jimmy Kimmel Live” through May 2027, “or until the world ends, whichever comes first,” as he told the crowd at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood.
“I was giving a lot of thought and decided I would like to spend less time with my family, and so to our audience here and at home – I’m honored and humbled to be a part of your routine. Whether it’s in bed at night, or …during your morning toilet time,” Kimmel said. “It means a lot to me to have your attention – and to work with this great group of people for another year.”
Kimmel renewed his deal with Disney early Monday and will remain the host of ABC‘s late-night program through 2027. His current deal was expected to expire in 2026.
Kimmel confirmed the renewal in an Instagram post Monday afternoon, writing, “I am pleased to announce another no-talent year!” The phrase “no-talent” is a favorite of Trump’s when lashing out at late-night hosts who criticize him on air.
Kimmel’s relationship with Trump is tumultuous to say the least. The president habitually attacks Kimmel on Truth Social, often after the late-night host takes a swipe at him on air. In November, Kimmel said during a Tuesday night broadcast that Trump “loses his mind” every time a reporter asks about his connection to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The following night, Trump wrote on Truth Social, “Why does ABC Fake News keep Jimmy Kimmel, a man with NO TALENT and VERY POOR TELEVISION RATINGS, on the air?”
Kimmel’s relationship with ABC hasn’t been the smoothest either. In September, the network pulled “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” off the air for several days after Nexstar and Sinclair, two of the nation’s largest TV station owners, complained about the host’s on-air comments about Charlie Kirk, a young conservative activist who was assassinated.
A Variety and iHeartRadio Podcast
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