Kimmel Slams Trump for Hosting Lowest Rated Kennedy Center Honors

Jimmy Kimmel Roasts Donald Trump Over Low Ratings for Kennedy Center Honors

Jimmy Kimmel made a triumphant return to late-night television on Monday, using his first monologue of 2026 to take a playful jab at former President Donald Trump. Kimmel couldn’t resist poking fun at Trump over the dismal ratings for the Kennedy Center Honors broadcast that Trump hosted during the winter break.

The late-night host quipped, “You know he hosted an awards show over the break. After boasting about what a great host he is and how much better he is than I am and how huge his ratings would be, Trump hosted the lowest rated Kennedy Center Honors telecast of all time.”

The Kennedy Center Honors, which took place on Dec. 7 and were hosted by Trump, drew an average of 3.01 million viewers, marking a 25% decline from the previous year’s record low of 4.1 million viewers.

Kimmel couldn’t resist teasing Trump further, saying, “Boy, I’d hate to be the White House intern who had to tear that headline out of all the papers and eat ’em. You know, as I recall, he said he’d step down if this happened. He said, ‘If I can’t beat out Jimmy Kimmel, then I don’t think I should be president.’ Hey, a deal is a deal. Back to Mar-a-Lago you go.”

Trump made history as the first sitting president to host the Kennedy Center Honors, which celebrate individuals whose contributions have had a significant impact on society. The 2025 honorees included George Strait, Sylvester Stallone, KISS, Michael Crawford, and Gloria Gaynor.

During his second term, Trump developed a peculiar obsession with the Kennedy Center. In a controversial move, he renamed the historic venue to “The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.” The name change sparked backlash, leading to several scheduled performances being canceled in protest.