President Donald Trump on Saturday predicted that his upcoming turn as host of the Kennedy Center Honors broadcast will outshine past ceremonies, taking a swipe at late-night comedian Jimmy Kimmel in the process.

Trump’s remarks came during an Oval Office presentation where he awarded medals to the 2025 Kennedy Center Honorees.

"Jimmy Kimmel was horrible. … If I can't beat out Jimmy Kimmel in terms of talent, then I don’t think I should be president," he told artists and guests gathered for the medals event.

He also framed the next two nights as a milestone for the cultural institution and for his presidency.

He said he expected record viewership for the televised ceremony and promised a "good time" at both the Kennedy Center celebration and the awards broadcast that follows.

Trump stressed that the Kennedy Center ceremony will be different from previous years because he will be leading it himself.

He called it the first time a sitting president has hosted the awards, predicting that the novelty alone will draw a larger audience. The president suggested that the show’s ratings have been strong in the past but argued the 2025 edition will set a new high-water mark.

He acknowledged that reviews could be hostile, joking that critics might declare him a disaster no matter what.

"I’m sure they’ll give me great reviews, right? You know, they’ll say he was horrible. He was terrible. It was a horrible situation. No, we’ll do fine," Trump said.

The president then pivoted to a critique of recent award-show hosts, singling out Kimmel. Trump said he has watched prior emcees and found some lacking, describing Kimmel as especially bad. He framed the comparison as a personal challenge, quipping that if he can’t outdo Kimmel onstage, he doesn’t deserve to be president.

The jab fits Trump’s long-running pattern of public feuds with late-night comics, who frequently mock him in monologues and sketches. Trump’s comment landed with a mix of laughter and surprise in the room, according to aides present for the event.

Trump’s decision to host the Kennedy Center Honors himself also carries political weight.

The president has repeatedly criticized entertainment figures for what he calls ideological bias, while supporters have urged him to take a more direct role in shaping national cultural institutions. By stepping onto the Kennedy Center stage, Trump is inserting himself into a sphere usually led by actors, musicians, or television personalities.

For the honorees, Trump ended on a warm note, thanking them for their work and telling them the weekend would rank among the most special moments of their lives.

Kimmel has hosted the Academy Awards and Primetime Emmy Awards.