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By Gabe Whisnant
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Late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel used a Christmas Day broadcast aimed at British viewers to sharply criticize U.S. President Donald Trump, warning of what he described as a growing rise of fascism during Trump’s second term in office.
Kimmel delivered Channel 4’s annual “Alternative Christmas Message,” a program that serves as a counterpoint to the British monarch’s traditional holiday address. The comedian used the platform to reflect on political developments in the United States and to accuse Trump of behaving like a monarch rather than an elected leader.
“From a fascism perspective, this has been a really great year,” Kimmel said during the address. “Tyranny is booming over here.”
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The late night host called Trump “King Donny the Eighth,” and said the president is “figuratively and literally tearing down the structures of our democracy.”
Newsweek has reached out to the White House via email on Christmas Day for comment.
Why It Matters
Channel 4 launched the alternative message tradition in 1993, offering a platform for figures outside the British royal family to deliver personal or provocative reflections on current events. Past contributors have included former U.S. intelligence contractor Edward Snowden and former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
What To Know
Kimmel has been a frequent and outspoken critic of Trump, particularly since the comedian returned to television following a brief suspension of ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” in September. The network indefinitely suspended the show after backlash over remarks Kimmel made referencing reactions to the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Kimmel suggested during his show that some Trump supporters were attempting to politicize Kirk’s death, comments that drew sharp criticism from conservatives and led to calls for his removal from the air.
Trump praised ABC’s decision at the time, calling the suspension “great news for America,” and went on to suggest that other late-night hosts critical of him should also be fired.
The controversy sparked broader debate over freedom of speech and freedom of the press. Hundreds of prominent figures in Hollywood and the entertainment industry signed an open letter urging Americans to “fight to defend and preserve our constitutionally protected rights.” ABC reinstated Kimmel less than a week later.
Addressing British viewers, Kimmel described the public response to his suspension as a “Christmas miracle,” saying millions of people, including many who disliked his program, had spoken out in defense of free expression.
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Kimmel said he did not expect many viewers in the United Kingdom to be familiar with him but warned that attempts to silence critics were not limited to authoritarian countries such as Russia or North Korea.
Despite the political divide that led to the American Revolution more than 250 years ago, Kimmel said the United States and the United Kingdom continued to share a close relationship. He urged British audiences not to abandon the U.S., describing the country as “going through a bit of a wobble.”
Kimmel also pointed to what he described as the erosion of democratic institutions in the United States, citing attacks on the free press, science, medicine and judicial independence, as well as 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 was unclear whether the president or his aides would address the comments. Kimmel is expected to continue criticizing Trump on his nightly program, while Channel 4’s Alternative Christmas Message tradition is set to continue as a platform for provocative voices. The episode adds to a broader pattern of public disputes between Trump and prominent media figures, which have increasingly drawn attention from international audiences.
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This article includes reporting by the Associated Press.
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