Late-night hosts on Wednesday targeted President Donald Trump's attempts to sway the upcoming midterms, his son's wedding funded by a Russian oligarch, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's reported preferences for troop appearances.
Kimmel on Trump's Midterm Tactics and Job Performance
On Jimmy Kimmel Live!, host Jimmy Kimmel opened with news that Republicans left Washington early to avoid a vote on impeaching Hegseth, whom he called the “secretary of war.” Kimmel noted, “They’re very good at dodging votes. They did this a couple weeks ago to dodge a vote on releasing the Epstein files.”
Kimmel then highlighted Trump's promises, saying, “We are now 48 days from our president declaring a stolen election. He’s trying every trick to try to steal it himself. The supreme court foiled his plan to stop mail-in voting, so now he’s offering $5,000 to every adult if the Republicans win. Only if they win. Which is crazy – also crazy that he would give us our own money as some kind of a gift.”
He added, “Also, remind me, aren’t Republicans the people who are always screaming about handouts?” before playing clips of Trump and conservative commentators criticizing Democrats for using tax dollars to buy votes.
Kimmel expressed disappointment, stating, “Those of us who did not vote for Donald Trump assumed he would be even worse the second time around, but even I had no idea he’d be this bad. Has anyone ever done a worse job with anything? Kitty and Jose Menendez did a better job of parenting their boys than Donald Trump has running this country.”
Kennedy Center Renovations and Hegseth's Speech Requirements
Kimmel also discussed Trump's conflict with the Kennedy Center. He explained that Trump's board voted to close for renovations after a judge ruled they couldn't add Trump's name without congressional approval. “So now the big baby says that if the supreme court doesn’t overturn that ruling and put his name on the wall next to the Kennedys, there will be no renovations at all,” Kimmel said. “He’s holding the building hostage. They really should call it the Melania Trump Kennedy Center.”
On The Daily Show, Josh Johnson reacted to reports that Hegseth's Pentagon is seeking troops for his speeches who meet specific physical standards, including a “waist-to-height ratio” and “impeccable grooming standards.” Johnson joked, “I’m sorry, is this guy still in charge of the military, or is he in charge of casting Love Island? I’ve never heard anyone say the phrase ‘waist-to-height’ ratio before. This man cannot count the number of missiles you need to fight a war with Iran, but when it comes to male physique, he’s A Beautiful Mind?”
He added, “And asking for impeccable grooming is a little strange. But it’s nice to know that this administration is finally taking grooming seriously,” alongside a photo of Jeffrey Epstein.
Donald Trump Jr's Wedding Funded by Russian Oligarch
Johnson also covered Donald Trump Jr's wedding to Bettina Anderson on a private island in the Bahamas, reportedly paid for by Russian oligarch Umar Kremlev. Kremlev, a former criminal turned boxing promoter with ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, reportedly spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on the island and parties. Johnson joked about the name, saying, “I don’t want to be culturally insensitive, but that name sounds like a knockoff James Bond villain. He’s a spy from the Kremlin – let’s call him Krem-lev.”
He concluded, “But I’m getting distracted: a Russian oligarch with ties to Putin paid for the president’s son’s wedding weekend. And this is a presidential family of billionaires, which means you just did corruption for the love of the game. This whole family has been making billions off Trump’s presidency and they still can’t resist a freebie, whether it’s a Qatari jet or a post-wedding chocolate fountain.”
