Jimmy Kimmel has hit back at President Donald Trump in their ongoing feud surrounding the White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting.
Last Thursday (April 23), Kimmel delivered an alternative monologue using footage from the event, joking at footage of First Lady Melania Trump: “Our First Lady, Melania, is here. Look at Melania, so beautiful. Mrs. Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow,” poking fun at Donald Trump’s advanced age (79).
The gag was viewed as in poor taste given the attempted shooting, where several shots were heard before the alleged shooter was apprehended. Trump and members of his cabinet were evacuated and the event rescheduled. Melania and Donald Trump separately called for Kimmel to be fired for the joke, which the latter described as a “call to violence”.
However, on last night’s (Tuesday April 28) episode of his late night show, Kimmel accused the President of making a similar joke during King Charles’ visit. During a speech at an official reception, he talked about his late mother’s love of the king, and mentioned her 63-year marriage. “And, uh, excuse me if you don’t mind” he said, turning to his own wife. “That’s a record we won’t be able to match, darling. I’m sorry. Just not going to work out that way.”
A clip of the joke, also aimed at his age, was played by Kimmel, who looked shocked. “Wait a minute. Did he just make a joke about his death? My god. You should be fired for that,” he said sarcastically.
“Only Donald Trump would demand I be fired for making a joke about his old age and then a day later go out and make a joke about his own old age.”
The rebuke was the latest in a long-running feud which saw Kimmel temporarily suspended from his show last year after making a joke about the murder of Charlie Kirk. The host would later say he never intended to “make light” of the shooting, but stopped short of apologising.