Jimmy Kimmel Thanks Trump at Critics Choice Awards: “I Wouldn’t Have Won Without You”
According to the CinemaDrame News Agency, Jimmy Kimmel jokingly thanked President Donald Trump after winning the Critics Choice Award for Best Talk Show for Jimmy Kimmel Live on Sunday night, January 4, 2026. This comes after Kimmel was suspended for one week by ABC in September for attributing the assassination of Charlie Kirk to Trump supporters.
Before addressing Trump, Kimmel expressed his gratitude to the industry: “I want to thank all the writers, actors, producers, and union members. Many of you here supported us, pushed us forward, and reminded us that freedom of speech in this city and this country is not easily won. Your actions mattered, and we are grateful for them.”
He continued: “And most importantly, I want to thank President Donald Jennifer Trump; without him, I would be going home empty-handed tonight. Mr. President, thank you for all the ridiculous things you do every single day. We’ve had an incredible few weeks, and I can’t wait to talk about them when I’m back on air tomorrow night.”
Kimmel recently extended his contract with ABC for an additional year, through 2027. He frequently targets Trump on his late-night show and recently criticized the President’s reaction to the murder of Rob Reiner and his wife, calling it “deeply hateful and shameful.” Kimmel remarked, “When I first saw that message, I thought it was fake. I thought, ‘Even for him, that seems like too much.’ But for him, nothing is ever too much.”
In a separate Christmas message on the UK’s Channel 4, Kimmel stated: “We won and the President lost, and now I get to go on air every night and give the most powerful politician on Earth the scolding he deserves.”
