25 September 25
Of course, the president’s main messages today were ones of irrationality and instability, so who knows what the plot points and soliloquies will be tomorrow or next week.
Well, not the better part. Definitely not the better part.
To describe the speech as insane, while accurate, would distract from just how extraordinarily packed with lies it was. How profoundly ignorant it was. How much damage it did to the United States’ standing in the world—it clearly marked a low point in America’s relationship with the United Nations and the international order we helped create in the wake of World War II.
From a purely U.S. political perspective, emphasizing how haggard and low-energy our rapidly declining president was is key. He made a point to note that an apparent mechanical issue with a UN escalator was an insurmountable problem, for example—most of the rest of us who are in fairly reasonable shape might have noted a stalled escalator is actually just a stairway that we could have walked right up.
But it would nonetheless, be a mistake, to ignore just how crazed the speech was. It was apparent from Trump’s opening moments when he railed about the UN’s broken teleprompter to the point later when he brought it up again in his broader condemnation of the UN as also broken, highlighting what he saw as its uselessness in not coming to his assistance in solving the famous seven global conflicts that we all know he did not solve. It was apparent in the fact that he argued that he deserves the Nobel Peace prize while noting he also takes great pride in discussing the attack he authorized on Iran, and those he has ordered against boats he claims without evidence were trafficking in drugs on the high seas.
The speech contained the most extensive condemnation of green energy and what Trump considers the climate change hoax that we have ever heard from a public official since possibly the invention of the steam engine. Science be damned. Oligarchs love fossil fuels or what Trump noted that he demands White House staffers refer to as “beautiful, clean coal.” Windmills, windmills on the other hand, are the pinwheels of Satan. (Someday we will get to the bottom of Trump’s anemomenophobia. Clearly, he had a bad experience with something that blew him the wrong way as a child. Or more recently.)
He defended his irrational, lose-lose global trading system destroying tariffs which in and of itself will soon be listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders as an extreme symptom of economic psychosis. He downplayed civilian casualties in Ukraine and explained this war wouldn’t have happened if there had been good leadership in the country—in front of President Volodymyr Zelensky, no less.
He continued to argue that he could have solved the conflict were it not that Vladimir Putin had, inexplicably, let him down—so now it’s the Europeans who should take the lead in stopping the Russians, or else the US would have to take strong action…sometime…in the near future…or maybe never…who knows.
(It should be noted that, underscoring the degree to which Trump was making up foreign policy on the fly, later on Tuesday he posted on social media a statement seeming to reverse his prior positions: “I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form,” it read. He also said NATO countries should shoot down Russian aircraft approaching their airspace. All of which sounds good. And if that is his new position, well done.)
One of his most detailed perorations was devoted to the perils of immigration. Trump told his audience that immigration was destroying their countries. “It’s time to end the failed experiment of open borders. You have to end it now,” he asserted. He exclaimed, in an epic soundbite that will be replayed around the world tonight in its embodiment of the entire speech, Trump’s narcissism, delusions of competence and contempt for his audience, that “I’m really good at this stuff. Your countries are going to hell.”
Name an area and Trump lied about it. Name a global issue and he laid out a US position that was at odds with reason and most of the world. (With the exception to his welcome if totally out-of-character call for an end to the development of biological weapons. He also appeared to call for ending work on new nuclear weapons but that riff is almost certain to be walked back soon given Trump’s regular calls for modernizing our nuclear arsenal.) He personally attacked the mayor of London, asserting erroneously that he wanted to impose sharia law in the English capital. He attacked the green movement in Europe even as one of its leaders was presiding over the meeting. He attacked Joe Biden.
Did I mention the aside about how once upon a time when Trump was, in his own words, “a very successful real estate developer in New York,” he offered to remodel the UN? He did not get the gig and, as a result, the UN now has terrazzo floors instead of the marble ones he would have installed. Yuge scandal!
He said, “I am a man more sinned against than sinning” likening the UN to a “great stage of fools.” He warned that people should fear his wrath saying, “And thou, all-shaking thunder, Smite flat the thick rotundity o’ the world!”
Oh, wait. That was King Lear. But face it, listening to Trump today, the one clear message was that Shakespeare got it exactly right when it comes to the lunacy of aging rulers. Of course, “King Lear” was fiction. But sadly, today’s performance by Trump out on the heath of the international community was not.
Instead, it was a low point for American diplomacy, a moment at which the world realized the nation that had been a cornerstone of its stability for eighty years has slipped its moorings. You could see the shock of those in the great plenary hall as they took it in. And we all had to worry when we saw them from time to time nervously applaud Trump remarks. Would any among them be strong enough to offset the reality of an America gone rogue, led by a man like Trump?
As Shakespeare also wrote in Lear, “Tis the times plague, when madmen lead the blind.”
Jimmy Kimmel and Robert De Niro Revive the 1st Amendment
Gabe Whisnant, Newsweek
Robert De Niro plays FCC Chairman Brendan Carr on Jimmy Kimmel Live! (photo: ABC)
It was the most-watched regularly scheduled episode in the show’s history, far outpacing its typical nightly average of 1.42 million viewers. Kimmel’s monologue, in which he pushed back against critics and defended political satire, also racked up nearly 26 million views across YouTube and Instagram by Wednesday afternoon.
Why It Matters
Kimmel’s suspension and swift reinstatement put him at the center of a political storm over free expression, media independence and pressure from the Trump administration. His return quickly became a flashpoint for the broader debate about satire in American politics, with critics accusing the comedian of insensitivity and supporters saying he was unfairly targeted.
The ratings surge underscores both the public appetite for late-night television when it intersects with politics and the fragility of the format in an era of cord-cutting and streaming. While traditional late-night shows have seen their audiences shrink in recent years, Kimmel’s return demonstrated that a high-profile controversy can still galvanize millions to tune in. The episode also highlighted tensions between broadcasters, regulators and politicians after federal officials hinted at possible fines for stations airing his program.
What to Know
Kimmel was suspended after remarks he made on Sept. 15 about the man accused of assassinating conservative activist Charlie Kirk drew sharp criticism and political backlash. ABC parent company Disney reversed course six days later, bringing him back on air in what was widely viewed as an act of defiance against pressure from the Trump administration. The move also came amid a wave of subscription cancellations to Disney+ and Hulu by fans demanding his reinstatement.
In his monologue, Kimmel addressed the controversy directly, telling viewers it was never his intent to make light of a young man’s murder. His voice broke as he defended satire against what he called “bullying” from the administration. He also poked fun at Disney’s business interests, jokingly reading scripted lines on how to reactivate Disney+ and Hulu accounts.
Jimmy Kimmel’s 6.26 million viewers Tuesday night far exceeded the typical audience for any late-night show. In the second quarter of 2025, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert led the field with an average of about 2.42 million viewers, followed by Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 1.77 million and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 1.19 million. On cable, Fox News’ Gutfeld! — which has outpaced the broadcast shows in total viewership — draws roughly 2.2 million nightly viewers.
Still, Kimmel's return did not reach all audiences. Nexstar Media Group and Sinclair Broadcast Group, which together own or operate 70 ABC stations covering nearly a quarter of U.S. households, refused to air the program. That left gaps in major markets including Seattle, Nashville, Salt Lake City and Washington, D.C. Both companies said they are evaluating the future of carrying the show, while noting that episodes remain widely available through streaming.
The political fallout extended to Washington. Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr threatened investigations and possible license revocations for affiliates that aired the program, remarks that drew calls for his resignation from Democrats and skepticism from some Republicans. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, while not directly criticizing Carr or Trump, said government regulators should not pressure broadcasters, leaving programming decisions to networks and audiences.
What People Are Saying
Nexstar said Wednesday that it is evaluating the status of the show, which it will continue to pre-empt on its ABC-affiliated local television stations: "We are engaged in productive discussions with executives at The Walt Disney Company, with a focus on ensuring the program reflects and respects the diverse interests of the communities we serve."
Speaking directly about Erika Kirk, Kimmel said during Tuesday's monologue that her ability to forgive the attacker is "an example we should follow.": "If you believe in the teachings of Jesus as I do, there it was. That's it, a selfless act of grace, forgiveness from a grieving widow, that touched me deeply. And I hope it touches many and if there's anything we should take from this tragedy to carry forward, I hope it can be that and not this."
What Happens Next
Kimmel’s future at ABC now depends as much on politics as on ratings. Disney executives are in discussions with station groups over the show’s distribution, while weighing how to balance creative independence with political and regulatory risks. For now, the network is standing by its star, pointing to the strong ratings and massive online engagement as evidence of his value to the brand.
Meanwhile, Trump has continued to attack Kimmel on his Truth Social platform, calling him a partisan tool of Democrats and hinting at further action against ABC.
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