Late-Night Hosts Roast Trump's Record-Breaking State of the Union
Trump's roughly 107–108-minute State of the Union drew sharp late-night criticism and renewed scrutiny over alleged taxpayer-funded travel by DHS chief Kristi Noem.
Overview
President Donald Trump delivered a roughly 107 to 108-minute State of the Union address on Tuesday, the longest on record and eight minutes longer than his 2025 address.
The address's divisive lines and length drew sustained criticism on late-night shows, which described it as rambling, incoherent, and filled with racial animus, citing moments where Democrats refused to stand.
Jimmy Kimmel called Trump 'a nutjob wannabe king' and criticized his record, while Stephen Colbert cited a CNN poll showing a 36% approval among adults and Seth Meyers mocked the speech.
Reports said DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and deputy Corey Lewandowski allegedly used a taxpayer-funded $70 million 737 Max with a private cabin, claiming it was for 'immigrant deportation flights,' and both denied the affair.
Reporting on the travel included an allegation that Lewandowski fired a Coast Guard pilot after Noem forgot her blanket when switching planes, and the pilot was reinstated when no other pilot was available.
Analysis
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FAQ
Trump's State of the Union address lasted roughly 107-108 minutes, making it the longest on record, eight minutes longer than his 2025 address.
Late-night hosts like Jimmy Kimmel, Stephen Colbert, and Seth Meyers described the speech as rambling, incoherent, filled with racial animus, and criticized Trump's record, with Kimmel calling him 'a nutjob wannabe king'.
Controversial lines included calls to ban transgender care for minors and stating the 'first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens,' prompting Democrats to refuse standing.
Noem and Lewandowski allegedly used a taxpayer-funded $70 million 737 Max for personal travel, claimed as 'immigrant deportation flights'; Lewandowski reportedly fired a Coast Guard pilot after Noem forgot her blanket, but the pilot was reinstated.
A CNN poll showed Trump's approval at 36% among adults following the address.
