Jimmy Kimmel delivered a scathing and typically comical attack on President Donald Trump during Channel 4’s Christmas special for the UK.
Channel 4 focused on Kimmel for its annual 2025 Alternative Christmas Message, which has been broadcast on the Brit Network since 1993 and has featured a variety of guests over the years. Kimmel used the opportunity to claim that “tyranny is booming” in the United States thanks to President Trump, saying that Kimmel “thinks he’s our king.”
Kimmel also reflected on the brief hiatus of ABC’s controversial talk show “Jimmy Kimmel Live” after speaking out in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s murder, accusing Trump of “trying to silence me because I don’t worship him the way I like to.”
He likened his return to the airwaves to an (initial) “Christmas miracle”, claiming it was because people stood up in support of free speech. “Our show is back stronger than ever. We won, but the president lost. And now I’m back on air every night, giving the most powerful politician on the planet a just and well-deserved bollocks,” he said, using a rather British term. “That’s a word, right? I used it correctly, right?”
Mr. Kimmel concluded his message, which aired shortly after the king’s more traditional Christmas Day speech, by apologizing to Britain for the current state of the United States, insisting that Americans “are not all like Mr. Trump,” and urging Britons to hold on.
“No one knows better than you that we’re always a little late to the game. But will we make it in the end? Maybe. Give us about three years. Please.”
Watch Kimmel’s full Christmas Day message below.
Hello, I’m Jimmy Kimmel.
I don’t know if you know me, but I’ve been asked to deliver this year’s Alternative Christmas Message (which I hear is a big deal) so I hope you do, but if not, do you think I host something called a chat show (we call it a talk show) in the so-called Colonies? Honestly, I have no idea what’s going on there.
But I know what’s going on here, and I can say that from a fascism perspective, this year has been a really great year. Tyranny is rampant here.
You may have read in a colorful newspaper that the president of my country is trying to silence me. Because I don’t worship the president the way he wants. The U.S. government threatened me and the company I work for, and the broadcast was suddenly canceled. But do you know what happened after that? A Christmas miracle happened. Yes, it was September, it was September Miracle. However, it seems like the holidays are coming earlier and earlier each year.
Millions of people stood up and said, “No, this is not acceptable.” People who have never seen my show, people who are on record saying they hate my show, spoke up, marched, all in support of the right to free speech, and so many people spoke out that we came back. Our show is back and stronger than ever. We won, but the president lost. And now I’m back on the air every night, giving the most powerful politicians on the planet their just and deserved retribution. It’s a word, wasn’t I using it properly?
And the reason I’m telling you this is because you’re probably thinking, “Oh, governments silencing their critics, that’s what happens in Russia, North Korea, Los Angeles, etc., not in England.” Yes, that’s what we thought, but now King Donny VIII is calling for his execution. It happens quickly.
Isn’t it funny that we Americans are so proud of not having a king? That’s kind of why we left. Earlier this year, tens of millions of us took part in a protest called No Kings. You had some of them there too. For the record, we have nothing against your king. I don’t know if you know, but his son lives here. We just have a problem with a man who thinks he’s our king.
Right now, here in the United States, we are destroying the fabric of our democracy, both figuratively and literally. From freedom of the press to the independence of science, medicine, and the judiciary, to the actual White House itself, we are in a veritable mess. And I know this is affecting you too. I just wanted to say I’m sorry. And we want everyone to know, or at least know, that not everyone is like him. We’re not all like that.
Look, I know (from the musical “Hamilton”) that our country didn’t start off on the best note, but I also know (from “Love Actually”) that we have a special relationship. So, if I could speak for my country, my friends across the pond, this Christmas we say: Please don’t give up on us. We are in a bit of a precarious situation right now, but we will definitely be back. It may not seem like it, but we love you. Like Simon Cowell, for example, we love even the things you hate. We are not bright. We are Americans. No one knows better than you that we are always a little behind the game, but will we come out on top in the end? perhaps. Please wait about 3 years. please. Thank you for your patience, and thank you Spider-Man as well. Merry Christmas and happy holidays!
