Jimmy Kimmel kicked off 2026 by diving straight into political satire, using his return episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live! to take a sharp jab at Donald Trump over the underwhelming ratings of the Kennedy Center Honors broadcast.
Opening his first monologue after the winter break, Kimmel reminded viewers that Trump had hosted the prestigious ceremony during the holidays — and that it didn’t exactly go as planned.
“You know he hosted an awards show over the break,” Kimmel joked. “After boasting about how great a host he is and how terrible I am, Trump went on to host the lowest-rated Kennedy Center Honors of all time.”
Lowest Ratings in the Show’s History
According to Nielsen data, the December 7 broadcast averaged 3.01 million viewers, marking a 25 percent drop from 2024 — which had already been the previous record low at 4.1 million viewers.
Kimmel didn’t let that detail slide.
“I’d hate to be the intern who had to tear that headline out of the paper and eat it,” he quipped, before referencing Trump’s past comments about ratings competition. “Didn’t he say if he couldn’t beat me, he shouldn’t be president? A deal’s a deal. Back to Mar-a-Lago you go.”
The joke drew loud laughs from the studio audience.
A Historic — And Controversial — Hosting Gig
Trump made history by becoming the first sitting U.S. president to host the Kennedy Center Honors, an annual event meant to celebrate lifetime artistic achievements. This year’s honorees included George Strait, Sylvester Stallone, KISS, Michael Crawford, and Gloria Gaynor.
However, Trump’s growing involvement with the Kennedy Center has sparked ongoing controversy. During his second term, he controversially renamed the venue “The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts,” a move that triggered public backlash and reportedly led to multiple performers withdrawing from scheduled appearances.
Late-Night Is Back in Political Mode
Kimmel’s monologue signaled a return to full political firepower after the holiday break, reminding viewers that late-night television isn’t easing up anytime soon — especially when ratings, ego, and headline-making decisions collide.
With election-year tensions rising and Trump once again dominating cultural conversations, Kimmel appears more than ready to keep the jokes coming.
