Donald Trump had a room full of journalists in front of him Friday night, and instead of delivering a few laughs, he gave them an hour of complaints, personal insults and old grudges.
The president headlined the rescheduled White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner at the Waldorf Astoria, formerly the site of the Trump International Hotel in Washington.
His wandering monologue quickly abandoned comedy, veering into attacks on political rivals, late-night hosts, and celebrities with no connection to journalism.
By most accounts, he just wasn’t funny.
Trump opened by wondering whether the evening was supposed to be serious or funny before proving he couldn’t quite decide.
He mocked reporters’ appearances, riffed on the ballroom’s chandeliers, and even joked about the beef tenderloin, claiming Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had personally run over the cow that was being served.
One of the night’s most awkward moments came midway into his speech, Trump turned his attention to late-night television.
He dismissed Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon and Stephen Colbert as “not funny,” insisting, “Their agents are much better than they are.”
Trump: Jimmy Kimmel. Jimmy Fallon. They’re terrible. Stephen Colbert. These are people without talent. You know who has talent, their agents getting them the money they get. They have no talent. But they are not comedians. They are angry, they are sick people pic.twitter.com/UApzzZXlj2
— Acyn (@Acyn) July 25, 2026
He also claimed the hosts had “no talent,” despite each spending years at the top of network television.
The remarks fit a familiar pattern. Kimmel has repeatedly mocked Trump’s health, marriage and White House renovation plans.
Colbert became one of Trump’s favorite targets before CBS canceled “The Late Show” earlier this year, a move the president has repeatedly celebrated while predicting Kimmel and Fallon would be next.
Fallon, who has largely avoided political comedy in recent years, was criticized anyway. The few times he has mocked the former reality star seemingly always struck a nerve on the president, who claims he is tough as nails.
Trump then revived his nearly 20-year feud with Rosie O’Donnell, joking that she wanted to attend the dinner “to honor me” before adding, “Nobody wants her back.” The jab echoed last year’s controversy when Trump floated the idea of revoking O’Donnell’s citizenship since her move to ZIreland, despite having no constitutional authority to do so.
His insults weren’t limited to comedians.
Trump once again targeted California Sen. Adam Schiff, calling him “Shifty Schiff” while reviving one of his favorite appearance-based attacks. Trump joked that he had a “watermelon” head, prompting the slightest scattered laughter throughout the ballroom.
He also couldn’t resist aiming New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and New York Rep. Jerry Nadler before comparing the bruised faces of UFC fighters to those of Bette Midler, Jane Fonda and Bruce Springsteen.
The audience’s reaction told its own story.
Cameras frequently found journalists sitting stone-faced, with only scattered, uncomfortable laughter punctuating the comedian and Schiff jokes.
The mood noticeably shifted only when Trump introduced the night’s featured entertainment, mentalist Oz Pearlman. He received the loudest and most enthusiastic applause of the evening.
Later, Trump capped off the speech by putting on a “Trump 2028” hat. Some applauded, some laughed, while many simply stared ahead.
The rant didn’t end when he left the podium.
Hours later, Trump took to Truth Social to continue the attacks with a series of AI-generated images.
One depicted Bruce Springsteen and Chris Christie performing together beneath a banner reading “Bored In The USA,” a play on Springsteen’s famous album title.
Another portrayed Kimmel, Fallon and Colbert as panhandlers sitting beneath a sign declaring “late night over.”
A third targeted O’Donnell, depicting her and her supporters as suffering from “Trump Derangement Syndrome” against an Irish backdrop referencing her recent move overseas.
Readers on Facebook weren’t amused.
“Such an embarrassment to our nation,” one commenter wrote. Another said the “Low IQ fascist Trump bragged his comedic skills are superior to comedians like Jimmy Kimmel. He proved himself wrong again.”
A third argued the reporters “need to all stand up together and walk out! He would have the big one right there. He craves their attention and would die without it.”
“It’s all a big joke to him,” one critic determined. Another summed up the evening in a single sentence: “That’s what passes as MAGA humor these days—being a bully.”
By the time the digital backlash slowed, the president who had spent the evening mocking comedians, lawmakers and musicians had one final viral moment waiting for him: Cameras later caught Trump appearing to nod off during the mentalist’s set.
