Kimmel on Trump's speech: "A madman pretending to be a king"

During a special episode of 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!', aired on Tuesday evening, host Jimmy Kimmel delivered a scathing assessment of President Donald Trump's annual State of the Union address. Kimmel described the over ninety-minute speech as a "tirade of a madman pretending to be a king," which "has its goons arresting, imprisoning, and killing American citizens." He criticized not only its form, calling it a rambling, incoherent rant, but also its content. According to the comedian's account, the main theme of Trump's address was equating foreigners with murderers. Kimmel parodied the president's statement that "zero illegal immigrants" were admitted during his term, adding sarcastically that "the door is always open for those who come legally to become his next wife." The host also listed controversial points Trump boasted about, including alleged successes in DEI programs and the removal of two million people from the federal food assistance program. "It was like the Grinch's holiday message," Kimmel summarized. The State of the Union address is an annual constitutional duty of the U.S. President, involving presenting an assessment of the country's situation and legislative priorities to Congress. The tradition of public addresses dates back to 1913, and since the 1960s they have been televised, becoming an important media and political event, often commented on by the opposition and in entertainment programs. Kimmel also pointed out an internal contradiction in Trump's remarks. The president called on those gathered to stand up if they agreed that "the first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens, not illegal immigrants." At the same time, as the comedian noted, he completely omitted the issue of the killings of U.S. citizens – Renee Good and Alex Pretti – by ICE agents in Minnesota this year. "You should be ashamed you didn't stand up!" Kimmel ironically appealed to the president. The speech, lasting 108 minutes, was the longest in history, breaking last year's record also held by Trump. Kimmel was not the only host who reacted. Other late-night shows, including Stephen Colbert's program, also dedicated time to commenting on the president's lengthy, fear-mongering address, according to media reports. „We have a nutjob wannabe king who has his goons arresting, incarcerating and killing American citizens. He's protecting pedophiles and won't explain it.” — Jimmy Kimmel Kimmel's satirical summary of the country's situation reflected the sharp tone of criticism that emerged from part of the American entertainment media after the speech. These reactions fit into the broader context of a highly polarized public debate in the United States, where late-night shows play an increasingly significant role in commenting on and shaping the perception of political events.