Jimmy Kimmel Mocks Trump's Sleepy 9/11 Remembrance 2026

Jimmy Kimmel on Trump’s 9/11 remembrance: ‘Constantly falling asleep on camera’ — that was the headline late-night hosts couldn’t resist after the former president’s drowsy appearance at the Pentagon’s 25th-anniversary event. Kimmel, returning to the stage in Los Angeles after the Emmy Awards, wasted no time skewering Trump’s performance.

Kimmel’s Monologue: ‘Teddy Doze-evelt’

Kimmel began by acknowledging Trump’s New York roots: “He was there when this happened and he was, I have to admit, surprisingly eloquent.” But the praise was short-lived. After playing a clip of Trump stumbling over the date — “September 11, 20-01, a very famous … date … unfortunately” — Kimmel quipped, “He’s at his best when he riffs, you know?”

The host then coined a new nickname: “Teddy Doze-evelt got in a pretty good nap.” He noted that Trump was “sleeping so much on camera the White House had to put out a statement that said he wasn’t asleep. They said he was just ‘solemnly listening.’” Kimmel compared that excuse to “the same kind of ‘solemnly listening’ Melania does when he tries to crawl into bed with her.”

The Montage: Trump Asleep at Major Events

Kimmel drove the point home with a montage of Trump appearing to doze off at high-profile moments, including his first Board of Peace meeting, his own inauguration, his big fireworks parade, and the third game of the World Series. “It’s so perfect,” Kimmel said. “The guy who spent four years screaming, ‘Sleepy Joe, Sleepy Joe,’ constantly falling asleep on camera.”

Key Takeaways from Late-Night’s Reaction

• Kimmel’s nickname “Teddy Doze-evelt” quickly became the punchline of the night.
• The White House’s claim that Trump was “solemnly listening” was mocked as implausible.
• The montage highlighted a pattern of sleepy appearances at major events.
• Other late-night hosts also weighed in on the AI doomsday panic that followed.

Other Late-Night Hosts Join In

Kimmel wasn’t alone. Stephen Colbert, Seth Meyers, and Jimmy Fallon each took shots at Trump’s sleepy demeanor, with Colbert joking that Trump’s nap was “the most peaceful moment of the entire administration.” Meyers added, “He’s not sleeping — he’s just practicing his closing argument for the next election.”

The hosts also tackled a new round of panic over a possible AI doomsday, with Fallon warning, “If AI takes over, at least we won’t have to watch Trump pretend to stay awake.”

Comparing Late-Night Takes

Why It Matters

The 9/11 remembrance is typically a solemn occasion, but late-night hosts seized on the contrast between the gravity of the event and Trump’s apparent drowsiness. The jokes also underscored a broader media narrative: Trump’s age and stamina are increasingly fair game, especially after years of him mocking “Sleepy Joe” Biden.

As Kimmel put it, the irony is “so perfect” — a reminder that in politics, what goes around comes around.

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