Comedian Jimmy Kimmel has defended his controversial joke about Melania Trump, telling the first lady it is her husband, President Donald Trump, who is truly to blame for the spread of “hateful and violent rhetoric.”
Kimmel had joked before the the White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting that Melania had a “glow like an expectant widow,” a remark that took on an unfortunate resonance following Saturday’s attack on the press gala, leading the Trumps to demand his firing by ABC.
However, he insisted on his show Monday night that the line was intended as a jab at the couple’s age difference and “not, by any stretch of the definition, a call to assassination.”
Cole Tomas Allen, the suspect, had appeared in federal court earlier in the day to face three charges: attempting to assassinate the president, transporting a firearm across state lines with intent to commit a felony, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.
If found guilty, he could face life in prison on the first count and up to 10 years each for the second and third.
Allen, 31, did not enter a plea and more charges are expected. He is due back in court Thursday.
Key Points
- Jimmy Kimmel claims 'widow' joke was about Melania Trump's age, not assassination
- Kimmel's joke part of campaign that 'helped legitimize' violence, White House says
- White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting suspect Cole Tomas Allen hit with three charges
- Everything we know about the suspect
- Investigators probe trove of extreme posts for clues on WHCD shooter's motive
Recap: Jimmy Kimmel defends himself after Melania joke backlash
08:40 , Joe SommerladWelcome to The Independent’s U.S. politics liveblog.
If you’re just joining us, here’s a recap of our top story:
- Comedian Jimmy Kimmel has defended himself after a joke he made about Melania Trump gained traction following the attack on the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
- The late night host had said the first lady had the “glow of an expectant widow,” leading her and President Donald Trump to call on ABC to fire him after the latest assassination attempt against the latter played out on Saturday night.
- In the opening monologue of his show Monday, Kimmel said the remark was a jab at the couple’s age difference, not a call for violence.
- The suspect in the attempted attack on the black tie press gala at the Washington Hilton Hotel, Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old computer programmer from Torrance, California, appeared in federal court for the first time Monday.
- He was hit with three charges, including trying to assassinate the president.
- Allen allegedly called himself a "Friendly Federal Assassin" and had an anti-Trump manifesto, according to court documents.
- The president has called for the dinner to be restaged in the coming weeks as the White House revisits security protocols.
- As investigations into the incident continue, King Charles and Queen Camilla are in Washington, D.C., for a state visit.
Analysis: Trump pivots from ‘speech of love’ to ‘you’re a disgrace’ in 24-hour media whiplash after Correspondents’ Dinner shooting
12:30 , Joe SommerladThe president had intended to deliver a withering speech at Saturday night’s gala, lambasting the Washington press corps over its negative coverage of his administration and the Iran war.
He never got to deliver it and has signaled he will take a softer tone when the event is restaged next month.
However, any hope of a friendlier attitude towards journalists has already been quashed, writes Andrew Feinberg.
Trump goes from ‘speech of love’ to ‘you’re a disgrace’ in 24-hour media whiplash
Watch: House minority leader hits back at Karoline Leavitt: ‘Clean up your own house'
12:00 , Joe SommerladTrump spokeswoman calls Democrats ‘cult of hatred’
11:30 , Joe SommerladLess than 48 hours after the president praised the “unified” reaction of journalists present when a gunman attempted to storm the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, his press secretary Karoline Leavitt blamed top Democrats and the American press for the attempted assassination.
Speaking at a press briefing on Monday, Leavitt blamed the latest instance of political violence in the U.S. on what she called “systemic demonization of [Trump] and his supporters by commentators, by elected members of the Democrat Party and even some in the media.
“This hateful and constant and violent rhetoric directed at President Trump, day after day after day for 11 years, has helped to legitimize this violence and bring us to this dark moment,” Leavitt said.
She argued that Americans “who constantly falsely label and slander the President as a fascist, as a threat to democracy and compare him to Hitler” are “fueling” violence as part of a “left wing cult of hatred against the president and all of those who support him and work for him.”
Andrew Feinberg reports.
Leavitt tees off on ‘crazed Democrats’ for WHCD shooting: ‘Cult of hatred’
How the White House Correspondents’ Dinner attack unfolded
11:00 , Joe SommerladHere’s Maira Butt with a moment-by-moment recap of how Saturday night’s shocking events played out.
Moment-by-moment breakdown of how Trump dinner shooting unfolded
White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting suspect hit with three charges
10:30 , Joe SommerladCole Tomas Allen, the suspect in the attack, appeared in federal court Monday to face three charges: attempting to assassinate the president, transporting a firearm across state lines with intent to commit a felony, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.
If ultimately found guilty, he could face life in prison on the first count, and up to 10 years for each of the remaining two offenses.
Allen, 31, did not enter a plea and more charges are expected in the days ahead. He is expected back in court Thursday.
Donald Trump echoes first lady’s call for ABC to ‘take a stand’ and fire Kimmel
10:00 , Joe SommerladAfter Melania attacked the comic in a statement yesterday, her husband entered the fray with a post on Truth Social echoing her call for his dismissal – seven months on from helping to force a brief suspension against Kimmel after he made comments about the late Charlie Kirk that offended conservatives.
Slamming the late night host as “in no way funny as attested to by his terrible Television Ratings,” Trump raged: “I appreciate that so many people are incensed by Kimmel’s despicable call to violence, and normally would not be responsive to anything that he said but, this is something far beyond the pale.
“Jimmy Kimmel should be immediately fired by Disney and ABC. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
Caitlin Hornik reports.
Trump echoes First Lady’s calls for ABC to ‘take a stand’ after Jimmy Kimmel’s joke
Watch: Kimmel tells Melania Trump to look at her husband instead after she accused host of ‘violent rhetoric’
09:30 , Joe SommerladJimmy Kimmel claims ‘widow’ joke was about Melania Trump’s age, not assassination
09:05 , Joe SommerladThe late night star has insisted his “widow” joke about first lady Melania Trump was not “a call to assassination” after President Donald Trump said he should be “immediately fired” over the remarks.
Kimmel began his program Jimmy Kimmel Live! Monday by describing the joke as a light roast about the couple’s age difference and “not, by any stretch of the definition, a call to assassination.”
Kimmel’s explanation for the joke came after a gunman attempted to storm the White House Correspondents’ Dinner Saturday night.
Days before the incident, Kimmel did a sketch about the dinner where he joked that Melania had a “glow like an expectant widow.”
In Monday’s monologue, Kimmel expressed sympathy with the president and those in attendance at the event who went through the traumatic and scary experience.
Here’s more.
Kimmel defends Melania ‘widow’ joke after Trump called for him to be fired
Ex-Secret Service agents see security gap after DC dinner attack:
08:00 , Stuti MishraThe gunman who tried to storm into the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner exposed gaps that need to be closed to prevent future attacks, former Secret Service agents say.
"The system worked. Could it be much better? Yes," Bobby McDonald, who protected then-presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, told The Independent on Monday. "We had a positive outcome, not a successful one."
Read more:
Ex-Secret Service agents see security gaps after Correspondents’ Dinner attack
Who is shooting suspect Cole Tomas Allen?
07:30 , Stuti MishraThe man accused of opening fire at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner appeared in court Monday, where he was charged with attempting to assassinate the president.
The dinner was thrown into chaos after the suspected lone gunman, identified as Cole Tomas Allen, allegedly rushed past security and fired at least one gunshot. The suspected shooter was targeting members of the Trump administration, he wrote in a message to family members before the attack, according to court documents.
Read more:
What we know about suspected White House Correspondents’ Dinner gunman
'LET THE SHOW GO ON': Trump says White House Correspondents' Dinner will be rescheduled within 30 days
07:00 , Stuti MishraUS president Donald Trump has said the White House Correspondents' Dinner will be rescheduled within 30 days after Saturday's event was disrupted by a shooting, the third alleged attempt on his life since taking office.
Mr Trump was attending the annual dinner for the first time as president — having skipped it during his first term — when a suspect believed to be targeting him opened fire at the security barricades at the Washington Hilton before being apprehended.
"I have recommended that we 'LET THE SHOW GO ON' but, will entirely be guided by Law Enforcement," Mr Trump posted on Truth Social. In a separate post, he said he had "spoken with all the representatives in charge of the event, and we will be rescheduling within 30 days."
Speaking to reporters later that evening, some still in their dinner attire, Mr Trump insisted: "We're going to do it again. We're not going to let anybody take over our society. We're not going to cancel things out."
"I don't want to have a crazy person be able to cancel something like this," he told CBS's 60 Minutes on Sunday.
All the charges against Cole Allen, suspect in White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting
06:38 , Stuti MishraCole Tomas Allen, 31, has been slapped with three charges following the shooting at the White House Correspondents' Dinner on Saturday, the Department of Justice said.
The first and most serious charge is an attempt to assassinate the president of the United States, which carries a potential sentence of up to life in federal prison. He also faces a charge of transporting a firearm across state lines with intent to commit a felony, and a third charge of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence — each carrying up to 10 years in prison.
Allen's next court appearance is a detention hearing on Thursday which will determine whether he remains in custody until trial.
Kimmel's joke part of campaign that 'helped legitimize' violence, White House press secretary says
06:02 , Stuti MishraWhite House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Jimmy Kimmel's joke on Melania and Donald Trump was part of a campaign of rhetoric from Democrats and some in the media that "has helped to legitimize this violence."
"Who in their right mind says a wife would be glowing over the potential murder of her beloved husband?" Leavitt said. There was no indication that Kimmel was referring to violence.
Her reaction comes after both president and first lady called for ABC to fire Kimmel on Monday after a joke last week in which the late-night comic described the first lady as having "the glow of an expectant widow."
ICYMI: Who is Cole Tomas Allen?
05:15 , Josh MarcusThe man accused of opening fire at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner appeared in court Monday, where he was charged with attempting to assassinate the president.
The dinner was thrown into chaos after the suspected lone gunman, identified as Cole Tomas Allen, allegedly rushed past security and fired at least one gunshot. The suspected shooter was targeting members of the Trump administration, he wrote in a message to family members before the attack, according to court documents.
President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump and other members of the administration were taken from the Washington Hilton’s ballroom as guests scrambled for cover during the shocking incident. The suspect rushed security guards and opened fire, hitting a Secret Service agent. He was quickly subdued by officers and taken into custody.
No guests at the dinner were hurt. The event was subsequently canceled.
Allen, a 31-year-old computer engineer from California, has been charged with attempting to assassinate the president, as well as two weapons charges.
More details in our full story.
What we know about suspected White House Correspondents’ Dinner gunman
Trump slams conspiracy theories after ‘Staged’ trends on social media following Correspondents’ Dinner shooting
05:00 , Josh MarcusDonald Trump has branded those who believe the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner was staged as “sick.”
The incident unfolded on Saturday night, as the president attended the event for the first time since 2011. Baseless speculation about whether the shooting, which follows two assassination attempts against Trump in 2024, was staged blew up on social media shortly after.
The term “staged” was featured in more than 300,000 posts on X by midday Sunday, according to TweetBinder.
When asked on CBS News’60 Minutes about conspiracy theories swirling around the event, Trump initially said he had not heard about the online speculation.
More details in our full story.
Trump slams conspiracies after ‘Staged’ trends on social media following DC shooting
Jimmy Kimmel jokes he's 'pro-ballroom' now
04:52 , Josh MarcusJimmy Kimmel may be a reluctant supporter of President Donald Trump’s White House ballroom project, he joked during his opening monologue on Monday.
“I might be pro-ballroom now, after this,” he said.
He added that if “anything terrible ever happens, at least they can dance” in Trump’s signature project.
Kimmel’s not the only one.
GOP now wants taxpayers to fund $400M Trump ballroom despite promise it would be free
Kimmel claims 'widow' joke was about Melania's age, not assassination
04:43 , Josh MarcusJimmy Kimmel is now offering a more detailed explanation of his “expectant widow” joke about the first lady, arguing it wasn’t related to violence at all.
The host said the joke, made days before Saturday’s Correspondents’ Dinner shooting, was “a joke about their age difference and the look of joy we see on her face every time they're together,” to laughs from the audience.
“It was a very light roast joke about the fact that he's almost 80 and she's younger than I am,” Kimmel added. “It was not, by any stretch...a call to assassination, and they know that I've been very vocal for many years speaking out against gun violence.”
“I understand that the first lady had a stressful experience over the weekend, and probably every weekend is pretty stressful, in that house,” he continued. “And also I agree that hateful and violent rhetoric is something we should reject. I do, and I think a great place to start to dial that back would be to have a conversation with your husband about it.”
'A lot' more charges coming in shooting investigation, Jeanine Pirro says
04:40 , Josh MarcusThe trio of current charges against Correspondents’ Dinner shooting suspect Cole Tomas Allen are just the beginning, according to the top Washington prosecutor.
“Make no mistake, this is just the beginning of this indictment, of these charges,” U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro told Fox News on Monday evening. “The indictment will include a lot more charges. We’ll know a lot more. Right now we have a solid case.”
Allen is currently charged with attempting to assassinate the president, as well as two weapons charges. He has not entered a plea.
Pirro added that the FBI is combing through Allen’s digital history looking for clues.
“There will be nothing that won’t be identified and discovered as it relates to his past actions with this digital footprint that we’re looking to establish right now,” she said.
Kimmel jokes about First Lady statement in opening monologue
04:39 , Josh MarcusJimmy Kimmel is live on air, and he looks set to address the ongoing controversy about his recent routine.
“Sometimes, you wake up in the morning and the First Lady puts out a statement, demanding you be fired from your job,” Kimmel began. “We've all been there, right?”
Trump echoes First Lady’s calls for ABC to ‘take a stand’ after Jimmy Kimmel’s joke
Republicans now want taxpayers to fund Trump’s $400 million ballroom
04:34 , Josh MarcusIn the wake of the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, top Republicans want to use $400 million in taxpayer funds on President Donald Trump’s White House ballroom project, arguing the new building is vital for national security. This comes despite past promises from the president the ballroom would be entirely funded by private donations.
“It’s very difficult to have a bunch of important people in the same place unless it’s really, really secure,” Sen. Lindsey Graham told reporters on Monday. “The times in which we live are unusual. I’ve been up here for a while now. I’ve never felt the sense of threat that exists today.”
Graham and his GOP colleagues Sen. Eric Schmitt and Sen. Katie Britt are pushing a bill to fund the ballroom and offset costs by using customs and national parks user fees. The proposal includes building new military and Secret Service infrastructure within the ballroom complex.
Graham said the White House supports his effort, despite the president’s frequent claims that he and private donors were personally funding the entire ballroom project. The White House has previously said major tech corporations, including those that do business with the federal government and donated to Trump’s inauguration, have committed millions to funding the ballroom.
More details in our full story.
GOP now wants taxpayers to fund $400M Trump ballroom despite promise it would be free
Political violence 'worse than it's ever been' Bernie says, as Democrats call for committee on attacks
04:10 , Josh MarcusSen. Bernie Sanders agrees with conservatives who are alarmed with the ongoing spike in political violence in America.
"It’s clearly worse than it's ever been,” the Vermont senator told CNN on Monday. “The internet, the acrimony, the hatred, it’s unprecedented and it’s very dangerous and it’s tragic.”
His fellow progressive Rep. Ro Khanna has called for a bipartisan committee to study the problem.
Kimmel has 'fallen off the deep end' and should be fired, Lara Trump says
03:40 , Josh MarcusLara Trump is the latest prominent Republican to call for Jimmy Kimmel to be fired for making a joke about President Trump dying in office, in the wake of the recent Correspondents’ Dinner shooting
Kimmel, days before the event, joked that the first lady looked like an “expectant widow.”
Such comments infuriated prominent conservatives, including Lara Trump, the president’s daughter-in-law.
“I mean, I just think that Jimmy Kimmel has really fallen off the deep end,” she told Fox News on Monday. “None of this is funny. Comedy isn’t funny anymore. Shows aren’t entertaining, movies aren’t entertaining anymore. Whenever you have to say things like that to engage your audience, you basically might as well exit stage left. I don’t think the American people want to see this sort of thing. Even the ones who didn’t vote for Donald Trump. So I agree with Melania and the President. I think Jimmy Kimmel needs to leave ABC.”
President Trump has now faced three apparent assassination attempts since 2024.
It would be 'big mistake' if ABC fires Kimmel over Trump death joke
03:10 , Josh MarcusABC would be making a “big mistake” if the network agrees with calls from Republicans to fire Jimmy Kimmel over a recent joke about Trump, according to the president’s former communications director, Anthony Scaramucci.
President Trump, the first lady, and their allies have called on the network to take Kimmel off the air, after he made a joke, prior to the White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting, that Melania Trump looked like an “expectant widow.”
“I don’t understand the president on this because he could just lean into these jokes and relax about them,” Scaramucci told CNN on Monday night. “The brittleness I think is more about controlling corporate media, and so ABC would be making a big mistake if they fired him over something like that.”
“Also, when the president is tweeting out that he’s going to end civilizations, and then he’s upset about a joke that’s being made by a known late-night comedian who is writing jokes, I mean he should relax a little bit about that as well,” the first-term Trump official added. “If they fire him over this, they’re going to get another wave of boycotts like they got last time. It would be bad economics for them but it would also be bad practice for them in terms of not standing up to the White House once in a while.”
Here’s more info on the brewing Kimmel saga:
Trump echoes First Lady’s calls for ABC to ‘take a stand’ after Jimmy Kimmel’s joke
Investigators probe trove of extreme posts for clues on WHCD shooter's motive
02:40 , Josh MarcusInvestigators are reportedly hunting through scores of archived social media posts that may have been written by Correspondents’ Dinner shooting suspect Cole Tomas Allen.
The posts included messages calling President Trump a “sociopathic mob boss” and Republicans “Nazis,” The New York Times reports.
Last May, the poster, whose identity hasn’t been confirmed publicly, accused the government of “treasonous behavior,” a problem “that’s not fixable with laws.”
Sean Hannity calls out angry 'rhetoric' after Correspondents' Dinner shooting
02:20 , Josh MarcusFox News host Sean Hannity argues angry rhetoric is to blame for Saturday’s Correspondents’ Dinner shooting, which allegedly targeted White House officials.
“The rhetoric’s over the top,” he told TMZ. “How many times are we going to hear Nazi, fascist, racist, and all this nonsense? Disagree, don’t be that disagreeable. Get rid of the rage and hate, because unfortunately there are a lot of people that are unstable. There are a lot of people that could be influenced by what other people say.”
Hannity added that President Trump told him the night of the attack that the president wants to take part in another Correspondents’ Dinner within 30 days.
The Fox anchor’s comments echo those from Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who blamed criticism of the president from the media and Democrats for the attack.
Leavitt tees off on ‘crazed Democrats’ for WHCD shooting: ‘Cult of hatred’
Shooting suspect's views seen across radical social media posts: report
01:50 , Josh MarcusIn recent years, Correspondents’ Dinner shooting suspect Cole Allen reportedly descended into extremist views online, according a CNN analysis of his social media posts.
The 31-year-old from Torrance, California, reshared multiple posts compared President Trump to Hitler, as well as a post calling to nullify Trump’s 2024 election win.
Elsewhere, Allen reportedly retweeted a post speculating that the president was “quite capable of having staged a fake assassination attempt on himself to trick the American public.”
Oz the Mentalist reportedly pulls out of Kimmel appearance amid joke controversy
01:30 , Josh MarcusOz the Mentalist, who was slated to perform at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner before it was attacked, has reportedly pulled out of a planned Monday appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Kimmel is currently facing fierce criticism from the White House and allied conservatives over a joke he made last week, prior to the dinner, that the first lady looked like an “expectant window.”
The president and first lady have called for Kimmel to be taken off the air.
The mentalist has been replaced with liberal podcaster Jon Lovett, CNN reports.
'We're as confused as everyone': Suspect's church reacts to shooting
01:20 , Josh MarcusMembers of suspected Correspondents’ Dinner shooter Cole Tomas Allen’s church were stunned to learn that the mild-mannered computer science graduate they knew is accused of trying to assassinate the president.
“We’re as confused as everyone else,” pastor Moses Jambazian of United Reformed Church in Pasadena, California, told The Wall Street Journal. “It’s one of those classic cases where everything we knew about him was he was a great guy.”
Congregation member John Dewey told the paper the allegations against the 31-year-old Caltech grad left him “flabbergasted.”
“The talent he had, he probably could have lived a full, enjoyable, healthy life and done wondrous things for himself and other people, and he blew it,” Dewey said. “Not everybody’s gifted like that. If you are, you’ve got a lot of responsibilities, not only to yourself but to others.”
Attack on Correspondents' Dinner comes after 30-year high in anti-government violence
01:00 , Josh MarcusThe shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, which investigators say explicitly aimed to kill senior Trump administration officials, is part of a disturbing uptick in political violence, according to experts.
In 2025, anti-government violence hit a 30-year high, according to Wall Street Journal analysis of Center for Strategic and International Studies data.
The White House has blamed Democrats and liberal critics at large for the threats against President Trump and others.
The data shows that between 1994 and 2024, the lion’s share of anti-government attacks were carried out by individuals with known right-wing ideals, though that trend flipped in 2025, amid a string of attacks against federal immigration agents and others.
Leavitt tees off on ‘crazed Democrats’ for WHCD shooting: ‘Cult of hatred’
Shooter would've 'never gotten in' if Trump had his White House ballroom: Lindsey Graham
Tuesday 28 April 2026 00:44 , Josh MarcusSen. Lindsey Graham is the latest Trump ally arguing that the president’s White House ballroom project is more necessary than ever after the recent shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
Graham told reporters on Monday that while some initially thought the ballroom was a presidential “vanity project,” the plan actually fills a key security need.
“I’m convinced that if there had been a presidential ballroom adjacent to the White House, the guy would’ve never gotten in,” Graham said.
More details on the renewed push for the presidential ballroom:
Group refuses to drop Trump Ballroom lawsuit despite pressure from justice department
Katie Miller blames Gavin Newsom for WHCD attack
Tuesday 28 April 2026 00:40 , Josh MarcusKatie Miller, who is married to White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, is the latest Trump ally to blame the weekend shooting at the Correspondents’ Dinner on the Democrats.
“It’s no mistake that this man hails from the state of California, and that of [Governor] Gavin Newsom, who is one of the worst offenders of this violent political rhetoric that sparked this man’s imagination,” Miller said of suspect Cole Allen, who is from the Southern California city of Torrance.
Her comments echo remarks earlier today from Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who alleged that Democrats and the media have directed “hateful and constant and violent rhetoric” at the president.
Stephen Miller has been accused of overheated rhetoric himself, including calling an American protester killed by immigration agents a “domestic terrorist” and “assassin” shortly after his death.
Leavitt tees off on ‘crazed Democrats’ for WHCD shooting: ‘Cult of hatred’
'He kinda has a point': Stephen A. Smith backs call for White House to host WHCD after shooting
Tuesday 28 April 2026 00:16 , Josh MarcusIn the wake of the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, the Trump administration reiterated its calls to build a new ballroom at the White House, arguing such a facility would be more secure for such high-profile events.
It even took the extraordinary step of having the Justice Department urge a preservation group to drop its ongoing lawsuit over the ballroom, a project the group has argued was commenced illegally because it lacked congressional approval.
Now, the administration has some unlikely support for its push from sports commentator Stephen A. Smith, who often criticizes the president.
Smith, in a Monday episode of his radio show Straight Shooter, said the president “kinda has a point” that such events need to take place at the White House.
“I don’t think it’s beyond the pale for the president of the United States to point out that the White House Correspondents’ Dinner should be at the White House,” Smith said. “Because that is clearly a more secure location than the Washington Hilton Hotel. It’s just a fact.”
Smith, who attended the dinner, went on to describe the fear of being in the room at the time of the shooting.
“I didn’t like being a grown a** adult at a White House Correspondents’ Dinner, with the presidents of networks and beyond, all in the same room, and watching thousands of people literally forced to duck for cover under tables and chairs, praying that a shooter wasn’t in the room just looking to spray gunfire in our direction.”
Group refuses to drop Trump Ballroom lawsuit despite pressure from justice department
Recap: Correspondents' Dinner suspect hit with three charges
Tuesday 28 April 2026 00:02 , Josh MarcusSuspected White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooter Cole Tomas Allen is facing three federal charges for Saturday’s attack.
He’s accused of attempted presidential assassination, interstate transportation of a firearm to commit a felony, and firing a gun during a crime of violence.
The first charge is punishable by up to life in prison.
Prosecutors allege Allen began planning the shooting in early April, booking a stay at the Washington hotel where the Correspondents’ Dinner was taking place.
Prior to the shooting, he allegedly told family members of his goal to target high-ranking members of the Trump administration, according to court documents.
Allen came armed with a shotgun, pistol, and multiple knives, attempting to breach a security checkpoint on Saturday night outside the ballroom where the event was taking place a floor below.
Allen allegedly fired a shot as he ran through the screening stop, and at least one official at the checkpoint fired multiple shots in response.
One agent was hit in the chest during the encounter, but was wearing a bulletproof vest and escaped relatively unharmed. Allen was arrested without any major injuries.
The California man did not enter a plea during his first appearance in court on Monday.
He’s due back in court Thursday for a hearing on whether he will be kept in detention.
Did the Secret Service fail to protect the president?
Monday 27 April 2026 23:48 , Josh MarcusThe gunman who tried to storm into the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner exposed gaps that need to be closed to prevent future attacks, former Secret Service agents say.
"The system worked. Could it be much better? Yes," Bobby McDonald, who protected then-presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, told The Independent on Monday. "We had a positive outcome, not a successful one."
With President Donald Trump insisting that the event be rescheduled "within 30 days," McDonald said the the Secret Service would have to quickly develop ideas to beef up security.
"I think they have to have some discussions about creativity," he said. "They're going to have to blow up their plan."
Bruce Golding has the story.
Ex-Secret Service agents see security gaps after Correspondents’ Dinner attack
The View co-host calls out conspiracy theories over White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting
Monday 27 April 2026 23:20 , Josh MarcusThe View co-host Ana Navarro is pushing back on conspiracy theories that are swirling in the aftermath of the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
During Monday’s Hot Topics segment of ABC’s daytime talk show, Navarro and her fellow panelists shared their reactions to learning that gunfire had erupted at Saturday’s annual black-tie event at the Washington Hilton. The sound of shots being fired prompted President Donald Trump and other executive members of his administration to be rushed out of the room while Secret Service agents apprehended the suspected shooter, 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen, who has now been charged with attempting to assassinate the president.
Navarro said that after the shock of the alleged attack wore off, she became disturbed by rampant online speculation that the shooting had been “staged” by the Trump administration.
“I don’t think that,” she said during Monday’s show. “Let me just be clear. I don’t think that.”
Carsen Holaday reports.
The View co-host calls out conspiracy theories over WHCD shooting
Megyn Kelly is latest conservative who wants Jimmy Kimmel punished
Monday 27 April 2026 23:05 , Josh MarcusJimmy Kimmel continues to face anger from prominent figures on the right for joking that the first lady looked like an “expectant widow” just days before the White House Correspondents’ dinner attack, which allegedly targeted the president.
The president and first lady have called for Kimmel to be fired, and conservative broadcaster Megyn Kelly echoed this stance during a Monday episode of The Megyn Kelly Show.
“Balls in your court ABC,” Kelly said. “You’re not going to be able to ignore this. You’re not going to be able to ignore both the president and the first lady.”
“Do the right thing,” she added.
She claimed Kimmel’s comments were “sick” and a “truly pernicious” influence on the country, given that the president has already faced multiple attempts on his life.
Kelly added that she thought Kimmel “would’ve learned” from a controversy last year, in which he was briefly taken off the air after conservative outrage over his comments about the killing of the activist Charlie Kirk.
Trump echoes First Lady’s calls for ABC to ‘take a stand’ after Jimmy Kimmel’s joke
Jane Fonda's free speech group rallies to Jimmy Kimmel's defense in Melania joke controversy
Monday 27 April 2026 22:49 , Josh MarcusAs conservatives and members of the Trump administration call for Jimmy Kimmel’s firing, a prominent actor and activist is rallying to his defense.
Kimmel angered the right for making a joke, days before the White House Correspondents’ Dinner attack, that First Lady Melania Trump looked like an “expectant window.”
When the bit resurfaced after the shooting on Saturday, the first lady and president sharply criticized Kimmel, calling on ABC to fire the late-night host.
The Committee for the First Amendment, led by Jane Fonda, meanwhile, is urging the network to stand firm.
“In America, satire is not a crime,” the group said in a statement to NBC News. “The right to mock, to challenge, and yes, to offend those in power, is foundational to democracy. From late-night television to political cartoons, comedy has long served as a powerful tool to expose hypocrisy, provoke debate, and drive accountability.”
“This is a test — of ABC, of the press, and of our collective commitment to the First Amendment,” the statement added. “The pressure is real. The intent is unmistakable. But we have been here before, and we know what is required from all of us. Speak up. Push back. Do not capitulate. Do not be silent.”
More details on the controversy here:
Jimmy Kimmel slammed on social media over Melania Trump ‘widow’ joke
READ: Court documents reveal attack suspect's target list
Monday 27 April 2026 22:38 , Josh Marcus
White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting suspect Cole Tomas Allen allegedly sent an email to family members and a former employer explaining his plot against the Trump administration, according to investigators.
The message, sent before the shooting took place, was revealed in full in court documents on Monday.
“I am no longer willing to permit a pedophile, rapist, and traitor to coat my hands with his crimes,” he allegedly wrote in the message, which included a ranked list of targets in the administration.
You can read the full FBI affidavit against Allen here.
Trump administration pressure after shooting won't stop ballroom lawsuit
Monday 27 April 2026 22:43 , Josh MarcusPreservationists are moving ahead with their lawsuit challenging the construction of President Donald Trump’s $400 million White House ballroom – even after the Justice Department pressured them into dropping it.
Trump’s Justice Department urged the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which sued in December to stop the construction, to dismiss its lawsuit by Monday morning.
Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate cited the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner as reason to build the ballroom, calling the Washington Hilton where it was held “demonstrably unsafe” in a letter published Sunday.
Schumate wrote that a ballroom at the White House, “will ensure the safety and security of the President for decades to come and prevent future assassination attempts on the President at the Washington Hilton.”
However, the trust said it will not be dropping the suit. Carol Quillen, who heads the trust, said that she was “grateful” the president and guests at the gala were safe, before adding, “We are not planning to voluntarily dismiss our lawsuit, which endangers no one and which respectfully asks the Administration to follow the law.”
Isabel Keane has the details.
Group refuses to drop Trump Ballroom lawsuit despite pressure from justice department
Everybody Loves Raymond star urges ‘friends on the left’ to tone down rhetoric after White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting
Monday 27 April 2026 22:25 , Josh MarcusPatricia Heaton is calling on left-leaning people to abandon divisive rhetoric after the shooting at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner.
President Donald Trump, Melania Trump and several members of Trump’s administration were rushed out of the annual event Saturday while attendees sheltered in place after gunfire erupted at the Washington Hilton. Suspect Cole Tomas Allen, 31, was taken into custody after allegedly shooting a Secret Service agent who was injured and later released from the hospital. No one else was hurt in the incident, according to police.
The security scare predictably sparked online debates about what led up to the attack, with MAGA warriors blaming anti-Trump media while critics speculated over unfounded conspiracy theories.
On Sunday, Heaton — known for her roles on sitcoms Everybody Loves Raymond and The Middle — weighed in on the discourse by pleading for one side to cool down.
Carsen Holaday has the story.
Everybody Loves Raymond star issues plea to ‘friends on the left’ after shooting
Hakeem Jeffries accuses White House of ignoring violence against Democrats in calls to tone down rhetoric
Monday 27 April 2026 22:12 , Josh MarcusHouse Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries tore into the White House after Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt blamed rhetoric from elected Democrats and the media for the repeated violent threats against Donald Trump in recent years.
The New York congressman, speaking to reporters on Monday, argued Leavitt and the Trump administration were both ignoring the numerous recent violent threats against Democrats and inflaming violence overall by taking actions such as pardoning January 6 rioters, one of whom later threatened to kill Jeffries.
“How can we take them seriously when they raise these partisan attacks?” Jeffries said.
“This so-called White House Press Secretary wants to lecture America, and lecture us about civility?” he continued. “Get lost, clean up your own house."
Recap: Suspect appears in court after storming White House Correspondents’ Dinner
Monday 27 April 2026 08:38 , Joe Sommerlad, Ariana BaioWelcome to The Independent’s U.S. politics liveblog.
If you’re just joining us, here’s a recap of our top story:
- A gunman attempted to storm the White House Correspondents’ Dinner at the Washington Hilton Hotel on Saturday night, with shots fired before he was apprehended by the Secret Service.
- President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, senior Cabinet officials and hundreds of journalists were in attendance at the event during the attack.
- One Secret Service agent was shot but was protected from serious injury by a bulletproof vest. The agent has since been discharged from the hospital.
- The suspect, Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old computer programmer from Torrance, California, appeared in federal court for the first time Monday. He’s been hit with three charges, including trying to assassinate the president.
- Allen allegedly called himself a "Friendly Federal Assassin" and had an anti-Trump manifesto, according to court documents.
- Trump called for the dinner to be held in the coming weeks as the White House revisits security protocols surrounding the president.
- As investigations into the shooting continued, King Charles and Queen Camilla arrived to Washington, D.C., on Monday, for a state visit.
