American late-night television hosts used their platforms this week to mark the fifth anniversary of the January 6th Capitol riots, delivering sharp monologues that condemned former President Donald Trump's ongoing efforts to reframe the violent insurrection.
Kimmel's Blunt Condemnation of 'Revisionist History'
On the exact anniversary, Jimmy Kimmel opened his show by bluntly recounting the events of 6 January 2021. He stated that five years prior, after losing an election widely declared free and fair, Donald Trump attempted to overthrow the US government in a desperate bid to retain power.
Kimmel detailed how Trump pressured Vice-President Mike Pence to falsely claim voter fraud and refuse to certify Joe Biden's victory. When Pence refused, Trump incited his supporters to march on the Capitol, resulting in a deadly riot that the former president watched on television for hours before reluctantly calling off.
"It was a selfish, disgraceful, tyrannical and dangerous act," Kimmel emphasised, urging the public not to forget the truth. "Five years ago, we saw proof live in front of our eyes that the American president is as un-American as they come."
He specifically criticised the Trump White House's official website, which on the anniversary claimed Democrats staged "the real insurrection" by certifying a fraudulent election and praised Trump for pardoning so-called "patriotic trespassers." Kimmel also noted that a commemorative plaque for law enforcement officers who defended the Capitol has gone missing after House Speaker Mike Johnson refused to display it.
Colbert and Meyers Add Satirical Edge
Stephen Colbert of The Late Show marked the date as "a dark day in our nation's history, and a permanent stain on the legacy of Donald Trump, because it is Eric Trump's birthday. You can't wash that out! Also, the failed coup."
Colbert mocked Trump's repeated characterisation of January 6th as a "day of love," suggesting the former president has a distorted concept of affection. The host also touched on recent events in Venezuela, joking about Trump's reported pique that exiled opposition leader María Corina Machado won a Nobel Peace Prize he coveted.
Over on Late Night, Seth Meyers opened by ridiculing one of Trump's recent Truth Social posts celebrating market highs and thanking "MISTER TARIFF." "Oh no … does he think the tariffs are people?" Meyers quipped.
He also highlighted a new poll indicating 44% of Republicans would support amending the constitution to allow Trump to seek a third term. Meyers reacted to Trump telling House Republicans he wouldn't publicly say he wants to cancel the 2028 elections because the media would call him a dictator. "Well, if you cancel the elections, it won't be fake news," Meyers retorted. "At that point, the dictionary will call you a dictator."
A Unifying Theme: Resisting a Rewritten Narrative
The unifying theme across the comedy shows was a forceful rejection of what Kimmel labelled "revisionist history." The hosts collectively used satire and factual recap to counter the narrative being promoted by Trump and his allies, which seeks to recast the violent attack as a 'peaceful protest'.
Their commentary extended beyond January 6th, touching on Trump's recent, surprise military intervention in Venezuela, which saw former President Nicolás Maduro brought to a US court. The Daily Show's Ronny Chieng joked about the world being "in shock over Donald Trump's surprise DoorDash-ing of Nicolás Maduro to Brooklyn. And he didn't even tip!"
As the fifth anniversary passed, these prominent voices in American popular culture positioned themselves as defenders of the established record against a concerted political effort to rewrite a pivotal moment in recent history.
