Tonight’s show is packed with exciting segments, including a special appearance by Jerry Seinfeld, who is joining us in the studio for the very first time.
Jimmy Kimmel recently took aim at Donald Trump’s outrageous second-term plans in a hilarious monologue, kicking off by sharing some good news with his audience. “I think Americans are sleeping more than ever,” Kimmel quipped, “but it seems like there’s one person who’s not getting enough sleep these days: Donald Trump.”
Kimmel couldn’t resist poking fun at Trump’s sleeping habits, especially during his ongoing legal battles. “CNN reported Trump slumped back in his chair with his eyes closed. Is this what some call sleeping? Why isn’t this on TV? I want to see the drool.”
Despite Trump’s courtroom dozing, his family remains wide awake and ready to support him—sort of. Eric Trump attended his father’s hush money trial today. Kimmel’s quip about Eric’s presence highlights the unusual family dynamics at play. “It’s not every day you see a son attending his father’s hush money trial, but in the Trump family, it’s just another day at the ballpark.”
The real meat of Kimmel’s monologue came when he delved into Trump’s wild second-term plans. He was astounded by Trump’s audacity, starting with his deportation plans and the idea of using the military to build detention camps. “He says he would carry out a deportation operation to remove more than 11 million people and use the military to build migrant detention camps,” Kimmel said incredulously.
The idea of deporting 11 million people and using the military for detention camps is logistically nightmarish and deeply inhumane. As if that wasn’t enough, Trump’s plans for red states to monitor pregnancies and prosecute those who violate abortion bans are equally horrifying. “Withhold funds appropriated by Congress? That’s a clear abuse of power,” Kimmel noted. “Firing U.S. attorneys who refuse to carry out his orders? That’s the stuff of authoritarian regimes.”
Kimmel also touched on Trump’s foreign policy ideas, including pardoning those who attacked the Capitol on January 6th and refusing to aid allies in Europe or Asia. “Pardoning the January 6th attackers is a slap in the face to justice and accountability. Abandoning allies based on their financial contributions? That’s a dangerous, shortsighted approach to international relations.”
In a particularly alarming moment, Trump suggested that people might like dictatorship. Kimmel couldn’t believe his ears. “When asked about dictatorship, Trump said, ‘I think a lot of people like it.’ Who in their right mind would enjoy living under a dictatorship?” Kimmel used humor to highlight the absurdity and danger of Trump’s words, comparing the claim to universally unpleasant experiences like root canals or traffic jams.
Kimmel also criticized the media’s tendency to focus on trivial matters. “Here is the president of the United States, the man with the nuclear codes, and some media outlets are more preoccupied with President Biden’s salad-eating skills than with substantive issues.”
As Kimmel’s monologue drew to a close, he delivered one final zinger about Trump-brand Bibles and the threat of being locked up for violating a gag order. Kimmel’s monologue was not just about entertainment; it was a reminder of the power of humor to highlight political absurdities and encourage vigilance in the fight for democracy.
In the end, Kimmel’s hilarious takedown of Trump’s second-term plans left us with a bittersweet sense of both the power and the limits of comedy in the face of political turmoil. While laughter is a potent weapon against authoritarianism, it’s up to all of us to remain vigilant and engaged in the fight for democracy.
