Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel used a Christmas Day broadcast aimed at British viewers to deliver a scathing critique of U.S. President Donald Trump, arguing that Trump’s second term has fueled what he described as an alarming drift toward authoritarianism.
Kimmel delivered Channel 4’s annual “Alternative Christmas Message,” a program positioned as a counterweight to the British monarch’s traditional holiday address. In his remarks, Kimmel suggested Trump has acted less like an elected official and more like royalty.
“From a fascism perspective, this has been a really great year,” Kimmel said. “Tyranny is booming over here.”
He referred to Trump as “King Donny the Eighth,” adding that the president is “figuratively and literally tearing down the structures of our democracy.”
Why It Matters
Channel 4 began the alternative message tradition in 1993, offering a platform to public figures outside the British royal family to deliver personal—or intentionally provocative—reflections on major events. Past contributors have included former U.S. intelligence contractor Edward Snowden and former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
What To Know
Kimmel has been an outspoken critic of Trump for years, and his remarks come after renewed controversy surrounding his show. He returned to television following a brief suspension of ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” in September. The network indefinitely suspended the program after backlash over remarks Kimmel made that referenced reactions to the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
During his show, Kimmel suggested some Trump supporters were trying to politicize Kirk’s death—comments that drew fierce conservative criticism and sparked calls for him to be removed from the air.
At the time, Trump praised ABC’s decision, calling the suspension “great news for America,” and suggested other late-night hosts who criticize him should also be fired.
The episode widened into a broader argument about freedom of speech and freedom of the press. Hundreds of entertainment-industry figures signed an open letter urging Americans to “fight to defend and preserve our constitutionally protected rights.” ABC reinstated Kimmel less than a week later.
Speaking to viewers in the U.K., Kimmel called the public backlash to his suspension a “Christmas miracle,” saying millions of people—including many who don’t watch his show—defended free expression.
Kimmel acknowledged that many people in Britain may not be familiar with him, but he argued that efforts to silence critics aren’t limited to openly authoritarian states such as Russia or North Korea.
He also emphasized the historical and ongoing ties between the United States and the United Kingdom, urging British audiences not to write off Americans despite political turmoil. He described the U.S. as “going through a bit of a wobble.”
Kimmel went on to cite what he characterized as weakening democratic institutions, pointing to attacks on the free press, science, medicine, and judicial independence, along with ongoing construction work at the White House’s East Wing.
What People Are Saying
Kimmel said, “From the free press, to science, to medicine, to judicial independence, to the actual White House itself, we are a right mess. And we want you to know—or, at least I want you to know—that we’re not all like him. We’re not all like that.”
GB News presenter Alex Armstrong wrote on X this week, “Channel 4 have invited Jimmy Kimmel to deliver the ‘Alternative Christmas message’ to Brits on Xmas day. He’s going to whine about free-speech and fascism. He won’t be referring to our govt, will he? It’ll all be Trump. C4 deeply out of touch as usual.”
What Happens Next
The White House has not publicly responded to Kimmel’s remarks, and it remains unclear whether Trump or his aides will address them. Kimmel is expected to continue criticizing Trump on his nightly show, while Channel 4’s Alternative Christmas Message tradition is set to continue as a venue for high-profile and provocative commentary.
