President Donald Trump has called for late-night host Jimmy Kimmel to be fired after he jokingly called first lady Melania Trump an “expectant widow” during a White House Correspondents’ Dinner skit on his show last week.
Calling the joke a “despicable call to violence,” Trump said in a Truth Social post, “Jimmy Kimmel should be immediately fired by Disney and ABC.”
Kimmel’s monologue — which he made Thursday on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” days before the alleged gunman attempted to enter the event where President Trump, Melania Trump and other top officials were evacuated — included a joke that the First Lady had “a glow like an expectant widow.”
Kimmel, speaking during a mock version of the annual dinner two nights before the official event, delivered a series of jokes aimed at the President and his family. Typically, a comedian headlines the dinner, and Kimmel’s skit involved him delivering remarks as though he were the comedian selected to roast the attendees. “Our first lady is here. Mrs. Trump … you have a glow like an expectant widow,” Kimmel said.
He also refered to a meme President Trump had previously posted and then deleted on Truth Social that appeared to depict him as Jesus.
“By the way, in the unfortunate event that our President has a medical emergency tonight, do we have a doctor in the house — oh, I’m sorry. I mean, do we have a Jesus in the house? I always confuse them, too.”
Jimmy Kimmel
Hours before the US President’s post, Melania Trump had implied Kimmel should lose his job over the same comments.
“His monologue about my family isn’t comedy — his words are corrosive and deepens the political sickness within America. People like Kimmel shouldn’t have the opportunity to enter our homes each evening to spread hate. A coward, Kimmel hides behind ABC because he knows the network will keep running cover to protect him. Enough is enough. It is time for ABC to take a stand. How many times will ABC’s leadership enable Kimmel’s atrocious behavior at the expense of our community.”
Melania Trump
Melania Trump, who like her husband was whisked offstage during the security incident, made an unexpected appearance at the White House briefing room while the President spoke to the press later that night. However, she has not publicly commented on the shooting, and her forceful criticism of Kimmel marks her first public remarks on the matter.
The First Lady’s social media post sets up another major free speech controversy over Kimmel, who was previously targeted by the Trump administration for a comment he made after conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
Washington Media Dinner Shooting Suspect To Appear Before Court
Meanwhile, the man who authorities say tried to storm the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner with guns and knives while President Donald Trump was in attendance is due in court today to face charges.
The haotic encounter that resulted in shots being fired, Trump being rushed off the stage and guests ducking for cover underneath their tables.
Cole Tomas Allen was taken into custody after the shooting on Saturday night and is being charged in federal court in Washington. Authorities have said that Allen will face charges including assault on a federal officer and using a firearm during a crime of violence. Authorities say an officer wearing a bullet-resistant vest was shot in the vest but is expected to recover.
Prosecutors have not revealed a motive, but in a message that authorities say was sent by Allen to family members minutes before the attack, Allen referred to himself as a “Friendly Federal Assassin,” made repeated references to the Republican President without naming him and alluded to grievances over a range of Trump administration actions.
Investigators are treating the writings, along with a trail of social media posts and interviews with family members, as some of the clearest evidence of the suspect’s mindset and possible motives.
According to acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, Allen, 31, is believed to have traveled by train from California to Chicago and then onto Washington, where he checked himself in as a guest at the hotel where the gala dinner was held with its typically tight security.
Records show Allen is a highly educated tutor and amateur video game developer. A social media profile for a man with the same name and a photo that appears to match that of the suspect show he worked part-time for the last six years at a company that offers admissions counseling and test preparation services to aspiring college students.
