Jimmy Kimmel said his frequent jabs at former President Donald Trump are not an effort to "defend democracy" but rather a way to "give this guy a little poke," comments made after he received an Emmy on Sunday.
Kimmel won the Creative Arts Emmy for Outstanding Host for a Game Show for his work on "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire." Speaking on the red carpet, the late‑night host told reporters, "I don’t necessarily feel like I’m defending democracy, but I do feel like I’m giving this guy a little poke. He deserves it, I enjoy it, and I love that people enjoy it too." He added that the notion of his jokes as a defence of democratic institutions felt too weighty and that he tended to "reject" such heavy thoughts.
Opposition to Trump has been a recurring theme on Kimmel’s late‑night program. Kimmel has used his monologues to criticize Trump across multiple election cycles, and he drew attention after the 2024 presidential contest when he broke into tears on air following Trump’s victory. In that monologue Kimmel told viewers, "Let’s be honest, it was a terrible night last night," and said he feared the new term would be harmful to women and immigrants before choking up.
Kimmel was also asked at the Emmys whether he plans to continue hosting his late‑night show. He said he was not prepared to answer and that he thinks about the future often, noting the show has been on the air for nearly a decade and that "each day is a new adventure. I take them as they come." The host returned to his program after a summer break earlier this month.
The remarks come amid a wider industry moment for late‑night television. CBS announced earlier this summer that Stephen Colbert’s "The Late Show" will be canceled at the end of its current season next May. In response to Colbert’s pending cancellation, former President Trump wrote on Truth Social that he hoped Kimmel’s show would be the next to go, criticizing late‑night hosts and saying they had been paid millions for what he called the destruction of television.
Kimmel addressed Trump’s post during a recent monologue, calling the former president a "delicate, chubby little teacup" and questioning his stance on cancel culture. Kimmel also defended Colbert in that segment while criticizing CBS programming decisions.
Kimmel’s Emmy came as part of a ceremony recognizing technical and performance work in television. The host’s comments at the red carpet reflect a continuing mix of entertainment, political commentary and industry turbulence in late night, as networks and performers respond to shifting audiences and high‑profile personnel changes.
Kimmel’s future in late‑night, he said, remains uncertain; for now he continues to host and to make the political jabs that have long been part of his public persona.
