Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel began his first show of 2026 with a discussion of some news that put him in the headlines as the year 2025 came to a close. The ratings for the PBS broadcast of the Kennedy Center Honors, taped with President Donald Trump as host, hit historic lows, and Jimmy Kimmel couldn’t resist commenting.For many years now, a night at the Kennedy Center Honors has been a staple on television to honor artists and cultural icons. This year’s show attracted just over three million viewers in total, which is a record low attendance in this annual broadcast on TV. Trump had been working to ensure that his hosting on TV did not lack a large attendance figure, and Trump had compared himself to Kimmel before this show.Jimmy Kimmel Roasts Donald TrumpWhen Jimmy Kimmel returned to his show in ABC after the holiday season, he pointed out the drop in viewers as the launchpad for his punch line intended for the then-president. "Take note, everyone, because Donald Trump has said he has 'the best words' about hosting, that if he was not more popular than Kimmel, he wouldn’t still be his boss" Kimmel said, adding with his signature sarcasm that maybe "it’s time for him to keep his promise and return ‘back to Mar-a-Lago.'"The clip went viral relatively quickly on the Internet and became a point of conversation on social media sites, at least partially because of the pop culture crossover of the current president of the United States hosting an awards ceremony. The clip was widely shared, and the controversy over the ratings and the ongoing feud between Kimmel and Trump became a viral discussion. Ultimately, a routine monologue turned out to be one of the first big moments in popular culture for the year 2026, mixing policy theater with television talk in a way that truly did strike a nerve.