Overview
- At the Kennedy Center Honors on December 7, President Donald Trump used his opening to insult Jimmy Kimmel and question the host’s talent.
- Trump compared himself to prior emcees and singled out Kimmel even though Kimmel has not hosted the Honors, appearing only during the 2012 event.
- The exchange extends a feud that intensified after ABC briefly pulled Kimmel’s show in September, then returned it to air on September 23.
- Following the reinstatement, Trump posted that he would “test” ABC, characterized Kimmel as aligned with Democrats, and referenced extracting $16 million in a prior dispute.
- FCC Chair Brendan Carr had earlier threatened ABC, Disney, and Kimmel over the controversy, drawing criticism for potential abuse of regulatory power, as Trump also targeted other late-night hosts in November.