Jimmy Kimmel’s Take

Jimmy Kimmel kicked off his final monologue of 2025 with a poignant reflection on a challenging year. “It’s been a strange year. It’s been a hard year. We’ve had some lows and some highs. For me, maybe more than any year of my life,” he remarked.

This year saw Kimmel face significant obstacles, including a brief suspension of his show under pressure from the Trump administration, sparking national debates on censorship, along with personal loss, notably that of his childhood friend and longtime band leader, Cleto Escobedo. Despite these challenges, he secured a one-year contract extension with ABC.

Kimmel expressed gratitude to his audience: “On behalf of all of us at the show, I just want to say that we appreciate your support. This year, you literally pulled us out of a hole.” He acknowledged the complexities of political life, stating, “You see so many awful and destructive acts, and it can make you feel crazy trying to understand these things that are clearly wrong.”

Addressing the overwhelming nature of current events, Kimmel stated, “When I hear from those who tell me our show makes them feel less crazy, it reinforces my belief that there’s still more good in this country than bad.” He urged viewers to convey to friends in other nations that many Americans are not in agreement with the current political climate.

Turning to Trump’s end-of-year message, Kimmel described it as “18 straight minutes of him yelling,” humorously noting the absurdity of the content: “It was hard to tell if he was giving a speech or having a seizure on TV.”

Seth Meyers Responds

Seth Meyers also dissected Trump’s primetime address, wherein the president attempted to convince viewers that all was well in the country, attributing any issues to Democrats. “He claimed other countries are ‘not laughing anymore’ at the U.S.,” noted Meyers, remarking on Trump’s assertions regarding border security and rising health premiums.

Meyers quipped, “If you have to say America is the ‘hottest country in the world,’ it probably isn’t,” comparing it to an unappealing advertisement for a club in Times Square. He concluded that Trump’s address was fraught with lies, leaving viewers concerned about rising costs and a faltering economy rather than seeing empathy or solutions.

Stephen Colbert’s Insights

Stephen Colbert humorously asserted, “Years from now, we’ll remember where we were when we did not watch Donald Trump’s speech last night.” He emphasized the unusual request from the White House for major networks to pre-empt their programming, a request typically reserved for significant announcements.

Colbert lampooned Trump’s remarks, citing, “As Trump said: ‘Good evening, America. Eleven months ago, I inherited a mess and I’m fixing it.'” He parodied the president’s trademark style, emphasizing the need to address pressing political issues rather than reverting to familiar topics that align with political strategy.

Reflecting on the tone of Trump’s speech, Colbert noted, “After the combative address, the president reportedly turned to the press and said: ‘You think that’s easy?'” Colbert quipped back, “Yeah, I do. Watching it, on the other hand…” underscoring the disconnect between the administration and public sentiment.