Late-night television host Jimmy Kimmel used his moment in the spotlight at the Critics Choice Awards to deliver a fresh round of mockery aimed at U.S. President Donald Trump. The incident occurred on Sunday night, January 5, 2026, after Kimmel's program, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, was named the best talk show.
A Sarcastic Thank You to the President
Taking the stage to accept the award, Kimmel launched into a biting and sarcastic acceptance speech. "I want to thank our president, Donald Jennifer Trump," Kimmel said, deliberately using a feminine middle name. "Without whom, we would be going home empty-handed tonight."
He continued his thanks, stating, "So thank you, Mr. President, for all the many ridiculous things you do each and every day." Kimmel added that it had been a "banner couple of weeks" and that his team couldn't wait to get back on air to discuss recent events.
Ongoing War of Words Escalates
This latest jab is part of an ongoing, highly public feud between the comedian and the president. The conflict escalated significantly in late 2025. In November, Trump took to his Truth Social platform to demand ABC cancel Kimmel's show, calling the host a man with "NO TALENT and VERY POOR TELEVISION RATINGS."
Kimmel fired back on his program, noting the timing of Trump's post. "He posted this at 12:49 a.m., 11 minutes after the show ended on the East Coast, which is nice. He watches us live," Kimmel quipped. He also referenced the major sex scandal surrounding the Trump administration, joking that the president took "precious time on the toilet" to post about the show.
The host reminded viewers that Trump had also tried to get him fired in September 2025, following comments Kimmel made blaming Trump's supporters after the assassination of activist Charlie Kirk.
Broader Context and Family Rifts
The political divide has even affected Kimmel's personal life. His wife and co-head writer, Molly McNearney, revealed in a November podcast appearance that she has lost relationships with family members over their support for President Trump.
"To me, them voting for Trump is them not voting for my husband and me and our family," McNearney stated on the We Can Do Hard Things podcast, expressing the personal cost of the political climate.
Despite the animosity, Kimmel claimed in an October 2025 interview that he would welcome Trump back on his show. "I'd love to have Trump on the show, for sure," he told Bloomberg. In response, a White House representative dismissed the idea, saying reacting to Kimmel "would require me to watch his show and I have much more entertaining things to do, like watch paint dry."
Kimmel's awards show remarks ensure that the contentious relationship between the late-night fixture and the commander-in-chief will remain a headline-grabbing story as 2026 unfolds.
