Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel used his acceptance speech at Sunday’s Critics Choice Awards to take another swipe at President Donald Trump after his ABC program won Best Talk Show, continuing a yearslong feud that has made Trump a frequent target of Kimmel’s monologues.
“A FIFA Peace Prize would have been better, but this is nice, too,” Kimmel joked from the stage, referencing FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s decision to award Trump the first-ever FIFA Peace Prize in early December. “Most of all, I want to thank our president, Donald Jennifer Trump, without whom we would be going home empty-handed tonight.”
Kimmel went on to mock Trump directly, adding, “Thank you, Mr. President, for all the many ridiculous things you do each and every day. It’s been a banner couple of weeks, and we can’t wait to get back on the air tomorrow night to talk about them.”
Trump and Kimmel have clashed publicly for nearly a decade, with the comedian routinely criticizing Trump’s policies, personality, and supporters on his show. Trump, in turn, has repeatedly dismissed Kimmel as a partisan entertainer and “ratings-challenged” host who uses political outrage to stay relevant.
Kimmel’s remarks came after a turbulent year for his show. In September 2025, ABC briefly suspended Kimmel following controversial comments he made about conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The suspension sparked backlash from free-speech advocates on the right, who argued the network selectively enforces standards when conservatives are involved. Kimmel returned to the air just days later.
During his acceptance speech, Kimmel thanked his wife, his producers, and members of the entertainment industry who supported him during the suspension.
“Thanks to all the writers and actors and producers and union members, many of you who are in this room, who supported us, who really stepped forward and reminded us that we do not take free speech for granted in this city or in this country,” Kimmel said. “Your actions were important. We appreciate that.”
Critics have noted the irony of Kimmel invoking free speech while routinely advocating for deplatforming or censorship of conservative voices.
Kimmel also reflected on the year during his final episode of 2025, growing emotional as he thanked viewers for their loyalty.
“It has been a hard year. We’ve had some lows. We’ve had some highs — for me, maybe more than any year of my life, but all of us,” he said through tears. “This year you literally pulled us out of a hole, and we cannot thank you enough personally, professionally…”
Even in his closing message, Kimmel appeared unable to resist another jab at Trump and his supporters.
“There is still much more good in this country than bad,” he told viewers, “and we hope that you will bear with us during this extended psychotic episode that we’re in the middle of.”
President Trump has not publicly responded to Kimmel’s latest remarks, though allies have frequently criticized Hollywood figures for using award shows as political soapboxes while claiming to speak for “the country.”
