Kimmel Targets Trump During Critics Choice Awards Acceptance Speech
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.”
VP Vance Predicts ‘Dumbest’ Democrat Candidate Will Secure Nomination In 2028
Vice President JD Vance took aim at the Democratic Party’s likely 2028 presidential contenders during a lighthearted but pointed exchange on Fox News, joking that the party’s “dumbest” candidate is most likely to emerge from the primary.
In an exclusive interview released Wednesday on Jesse Watters Primetime, Watters raised speculation about California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s national ambitions, noting the governor’s frequent media appearances and rumored White House aspirations.
“Gavin Newsom, obviously, is running for president. Have you seen this guy cross his legs? Have you ever seen anyone cross their legs like that?” Watters asked jokingly.
“My legs don’t cross like that, Jesse,” Vance replied with a laugh. “You can interpret that however you want to.”
Watters went on to frame the looming Democratic contest as a showdown between Newsom and Vice President Kamala Harris.
“Gavin and Kamala are on a collision course,” Watters said. “Who’s gonna win?”
“The dumbest candidate will probably win,” Vance quipped. “That’s my guess with the Democratic Party.”
Vance argued that the current Democratic bench reflects deeper structural problems within the party, particularly its fixation on identity politics over competence.
“I mean, look, the Democrats have a couple of big issues, and one is that they lean so far into wokeism that they can’t see the obviousness of the fact, which is that Kamala Harris is not qualified to be president of the United States,” Vance said.
“That’s why she got the vice presidential nomination. That’s why she got the presidential nomination. This is who Kamala Harris is.”
Vance contrasted Harris with Newsom, describing the California governor as emblematic of failed progressive governance.
“Now, the flip side is, I think you have an unbelievably corrupt and incompetent governor in Gavin Newsom,” he said. “The fact that those are the two frontrunners just suggests how deeply deranged the Democrat Party is. Let them fight it out. We’ll figure it out.”
A Weak Democratic Bench for 2028
While Newsom and Harris dominate early speculation, Democrats face a thin and fractured 2028 field. Other frequently mentioned names include Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez—each of whom carries significant liabilities with general-election voters. Many Democrats privately acknowledge that the party lacks a unifying figure with broad national appeal, particularly as voters continue to recoil from progressive economic and cultural policies.
Republicans, by contrast, are positioning themselves as the party of stability, affordability, and public safety heading into the next election cycle.
Cost of Living and Accountability
Watters noted that Democrats are expected to campaign heavily on cost-of-living issues in upcoming elections, a strategy Vance dismissed as deeply hypocritical.
“That’s a pot-meet-kettle situation,” Vance argued, pointing to Democratic-led policies that fueled inflation, higher energy costs, and housing shortages.
He credited the Trump administration with reversing those trends.
“We haven’t even been in office for a year, and you’ve already seen prices start to come down. You’ve seen rents start to come down. You’ve seen groceries leveling off,” Vance said.
“Is there more work to do? Absolutely. But the people who are going to do that work is the Trump administration, is the president of the United States, who is solving the Democrats’ affordability crisis.”
“You don’t give power back to the very people who set the house on fire,” he added. “You give more power to the person who put the fire out.”
Impeachment Politics
When asked whether Democrats would attempt to impeach President Trump again if they regain control of Congress, Vance said such a move would be predictable—and revealing.
“I’m sure he’ll get impeached,” Vance said. “Look, they have nothing to actually run on or govern on.”
“Their entire obsessive focus of that party is they hate Donald Trump,” he continued. “So, if they ever get power, are they going to lower Americans’ taxes? No. Are they going to make your life more affordable? No. Are they going to solve the crime crisis? No.”
“What they’re going to do is they’re going to spend all their time and all of your money trying to get Donald Trump.”
Vance urged voters to focus on results rather than partisan theatrics.
“I think the American people should vote for the people who want to make their life more affordable, who want to make their neighborhoods safer,” he said. “That’s what we’re trying to deliver every single day.”
Newsom Responds With a Meme
Newsom’s office responded to the interview with a digitally altered image of Vance crossing his legs in an exaggerated pose, captioned: “We all know JD copies Daddy.”
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