Jimmy Kimmel uses satire to target Trump after Democratic midterm wins

Jimmy Kimmel Live Tapers Late to Address Midterm Election Results

On Tuesday night, ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! reportedly taped later than usual, making its host the first late-night host to address the returns of the 2026 midterm elections. Unlike Comedy Central’s The Daily Show, which aired a new episode on Tuesday that had been recorded before most polls closed, Kimmel’s show pushed its schedule back to capture early returns. CBS canceled Stephen Colbert’s The Late Show last year, ending its run in May.

The delayed recording captured a significant political shift. Democrats secured victories in both the House and the Senate in what many observed as a sweeping wave. Surprising midterm wins materialized in Georgia, Texas, Ohio, South Carolina, and Kansas. Amid these returns, Kimmel delivered targeted comedy aimed at President Donald Trump.

Late-Night Monologue Focuses on Trump and Administration Priorities

During the opening segment, Kimmel connected recent political discourse directly to the night’s outcome. It seems to be after all the talk about Nicki Minaj’s ass, Jon Husted’s ass, the only ass on Trump’s mind tonight is the one that just got handed to him, Kimmel told the audience. The host also referenced a false 2024 rumor involving Vice President J.D. Vance, quipping, The Democrats took so many seats, J.D. Vance can’t even find one to have sex with him. Kimmel added, Democrats took so many seats JD Vance can’t even find one to have sex with him tonight.

Kimmel characterized the Democratic gains not just as a standard wave, but as a blue tsunami, citing a Harvard election model that calculated Republican chances of keeping the House as equivalent to rolling a 20 on a 20-sided die. Kimmel added that Trump spent the day watching Fox News coverage trying to give himself an insurrection, imagining the president throwing dipping sauce containers at the television set. Kimmel displayed a list on screen contrasting public concerns—such as inflation, housing, and healthcare—with what he termed the administration’s unusual focus on topics like testosterone, windmills, and Canada.

Differing Outlets Examine the Causes Behind GOP Losses

While Kimmel approached the results through satire, other media channels analyzed the underlying political factors. Fox News host Sean Hannity conceded that the U.S. war with Iran played a major role in the party’s losses. Hannity stated, I think 100 percent, I don’t think there’s any doubt about it, when questioned if the conflict influenced voters. Hannity added that although economic fundamentals appeared solid, if people don’t feel it, it is a problem, pointing out voter dissatisfaction with ICE operations and the geopolitical conflict. The Trump-supporting host maintained that while fundamentals of the economy are solid under the current administration, if people don’t feel it, it is a problem.

Concurrently, other late-night segments leading into the midterms examined counter-intelligence concerns surrounding Donald Trump Jr.’s travels and interactions with foreign figures. On election night itself, Kimmel declared, Donald Trump is officially a lame duck and an orange chicken at the same time.

Additional Late-Night Commentary Ahead of the Vote

Leading up to the midterms, Seth Meyers opened an episode of Late Night with disbelief that the elections were only a week away, quipping, And you know what that means: time to ace another cognitive exam! Meyers also addressed a rally on Friday where Trump stated he wanted to change the name of New Mexico to New America, correcting him by saying, Dude, you can’t call it ‘New America’ when it’s in America.

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