President Donald Trump claimed he has more talent than “horrible” Jimmy Kimmel during a recent speech at the White House.
The 79-year-old Commander-in-Chief aimed the harsh criticism at the 58-year-old late-night television host while hosting the 2025 Kennedy Center honorees in the White House’s Oval Office for a medal presentation ceremony on Saturday, December 6.
As the president hailed this year’s honorees — actor Sylvester Stallone, singers Gloria Gaynor and George Strait, the rock band KISS, and actor-singer Michael Crawford — he couldn’t help but slam Kimmel yet again after recently labeling him as “fake news” while questioning ABC’s decision to keep him on television.
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As the Kennedy Center honorees stood behind him wearing their new medals, the president told the assembled guests that he would be a better host of the upcoming ceremony than Kimmel. He said, “We very much appreciate it. Now, we’re going to go to the State Department with Secretary of State Rubio and have a special event.”
He continued, “Something which was never done before, but we never had a president hosting the awards before. This is a first. I’m sure they’ll give me great reviews, right? You know. They’ll say, ‘He was horrible. He was terrible. It was a horrible situation.'”
The president concluded, “No, we’ll do fine. I’ve watched some of the people that host. Jimmy Kimmel was horrible. Some of these people – if I can’t beat out Jimmy Kimmel, in terms of talent, than I don’t think I should be president. But I just want to thank you all because this is a special night.”
Trump branded Kimmel “fake news” and questioned why ABC keeps his show on the air, weeks after it was suspended and then reinstated. In late November, in a Truth Social post, the president described the comedian as “a man with NO TALENT and VERY POOR TELEVISION RATINGS” whose coverage is “totally biased,” as he called for him to be taken off the air.
Trump added, “Why does ABC Fake News keep Jimmy Kimmel, a man with NO TALENT and VERY POOR TELEVISION RATINGS, on the air? Why do the TV Syndicates put up with it? Also, totally biased coverage. Get the b– off the air!!!”
Kimmel hit back during one of his monologues, saying the Republican politician tried to take him off the air, but, referencing Trump’s much-criticized insult to Bloomberg News correspondent Catherine Lucey, the comedian said, “Quiet, piggy.”
Trump’s labeling of Kimmel as “fake news” came two months after Jimmy Kimmel Live! was briefly suspended in the wake of criticism over Kimmel’s comments relating to the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, a close ally of Trump.
In September, while en route to the American Cornerstone Institute Founders’ Dinner in Mount Vernon, the president was asked about Jimmy Kimmel Live! being suspended. He said, “I think Jimmy Kimmel’s terrible. You know what suspended him? His talent.
“Take a look at this guy, his ratings. That’s what got Jimmy Kimmel out, he was terrible. Didn’t he lose… I saw a report where ABC lost millions of dollars with him, so that’s what suspended Jimmy Kimmel.”
In a post on Truth Social after Kimmel’s brief suspension, Trump applauded ABC for “finally having the courage to do what had to be done” and claimed that Kimmel “has ZERO talent,” focusing on what he said were bad ratings. He also took aim at other names in late-night TV, including Stephen Colbert, whose Late Show was canceled by CBS over the summer.
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