Trump fires back, AOC’s 2028 Ambitions and the Fall of Late-Night TV

Introduction: Trump’s News Blitz

In a lively News interview this week, President Donald Trump dominated the headlines once again, tackling everything from Democratic politics to media shakeups. Speaking on a revamped “next-gen Sunday show,” Trump didn’t hold back on Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s rumored 2028 presidential bid or the dramatic benching of Jimmy Kimmel’s ABC late-night program. With the nation buzzing about AOC’s rising star and Disney’s decision to pull Kimmel amid FCC scrutiny, Trump’s candid remarks cut through the noise, blending sharp critiques with his signature bravado.

Dismissing AOC: Spunk Without Substance

Reports have swirled that AOC is gearing up for a White House run in 2028, fueled by her aggressive digital ad spending—outpacing nearly every other politician this year—and a surge in small-dollar donations. Trump, pressed on whether he had anything positive to say about the New York Democrat, acknowledged her “little spunk” but slammed her philosophy as “wrong for the country.”

Recalling her 2018 upset victory over Rep. Joe Crowley, Trump quipped that he warned Crowley to campaign harder after catching AOC’s TV spots “almost by accident.” “She’s a young girl… but her philosophy is so bad,” Trump said, crediting his administration’s successes—like trillions in economic gains, a “closed border,” and record stock markets—for making America “great again.” He predicted her socialist-leaning ideas “can’t come close to winning,” especially after his landslide 2024 victory, where Republicans triumphed nationwide by margins like 2,700 to 525 in key counties.

Trump also touched on a New York Times excerpt from Kamala Harris’s book, denying he ever called her a “tough, smart customer” but insisting he’d be “nice” to AOC if they met. “I’m basically a nice person. People just don’t know that,” he added with a grin.

Late-Night TV in Crisis: Kimmel Benched and Networks “Dead”

The interview quickly pivoted to the entertainment world, where Trump likened struggling late-night hosts to “captains of cartel drug boats in the Caribbean”—both “in trouble,” though he praised Fox’s Greg Gutfeld as an exception. Amid reports that Disney CEO Bob Iger reviewed and benched Kimmel’s monologue for going “over the line” with anti-Trump jabs tied to the recent killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, Trump dismissed White House intimidation claims.

FCC Chair Brendan Carr, a Trump appointee, has hailed the move as part of a “massive shift” in media, warning it’s “not the last shoe to drop.” Trump defended Carr as a “fantastic patriot” enforcing honesty, noting that “97 percent of things they say about me on television are negative.” He torched CNN and MSNBC as “dead networks” with “no credibility,” contrasting them with Fox’s “phenomenal” anchors as he said it..

When asked who he’d pick as a late-night host, Trump demurred to avoid “making enemies” but unloaded on the current trio: Kimmel “had no talent,” Fallon looks “insecure,” and Colbert is “terrible”—so bad that “I could get people off the street to do a better job.” Recalling his real-time Truth Social roast of Kimmel during the Oscars—”the worst host in Academy history”—Trump said Kimmel’s wife and agent begged him not to read it on air. “There’s something wrong with the guy,” he laughed. Trump tied their failures to bias: “100 percent bad about Trump… they never even spoke to a Republican.”

Broader Wins: Borders, TikTok, and UN Challenges

Trump wove in policy triumphs, boasting of halting “water drugs” like fentanyl—blaming cartels for over 300,000 annual deaths—and crediting his border policies for safer cities like a revitalized Washington, D.C., where new restaurants are booming. On the international front, he teased a TikTok deal where “American patriots” like Larry Ellison, Michael Dell, and the Murdoch family (Rupert and Lachlan) would take over for “billions,” ditching the addictive algorithm. Trump credited TikTok for his 2024 youth voter surge, joking he’d help Fox’s Peter Doocy film his first video right there in the Diplomatic Reception Room.

Reflecting on White House upgrades, like the Rose Garden patio replacing the infamous lawnmower kid’s turf, Trump lamented Democrats’ “deranged” tactics—voting down a Charlie Kirk honor resolution and pushing shutdowns despite record tax cuts and deregulation. “They want crime… open borders… men in women’s sports,” he fumed, predicting a “tremendous midterm” despite historical odds.

One Big Thing: Trump’s UN Agenda

Wrapping the “Sunday briefing,” Trump spotlighted the United Nations as the week’s must-watch: He’ll deliver a speech highlighting his seven settled wars while tackling holdouts like Russia-Ukraine (“horrible… bad blood between Putin and Zelensky”) and Gaza’s “disaster.” With everything from economy to safety on the upswing, Trump’s message was clear: Progress demands tough choices.

Trump’s Fox appearance underscores a polarized media landscape, where his unfiltered style resonates amid AOC’s ascent and late-night’s decline. As 2028 looms, the political fireworks show no signs of fading.