Security, rhetoric under microscope in aftermath of WHCA Dinner attack
Questions over event security and the nation鈥檚 political rhetoric are taking center stage after the attack tied to the White House Correspondents鈥� Dinner, as fallout grows over how the incident unfolded and how public figures are responding in its wake.
Jimmy Kimmel doubles down on Melania 'expectant widow' joke, says critics misconstrued remark
Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel used his opening monologue of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" on Monday night to issue an non-apology of his "roast" of first lady Melania Trump, saying his joke about her being "an expectant widow" was misconstrued.
"It was a very light roast joke about the fact that he's almost 80 and she's younger than I am," Kimmel said. "It was not 鈥� by any stretch of the definition 鈥� a call to assassination."
Kimmel acknowledged being under President Donald Trump scrutiny, this time from joking about the first lady becoming a "widow" just days before a would-be assassin was stopped by U.S. Secret Service outside the doors of the White House Correspondents Dinner on Saturday night.
"You know how sometimes you wake up in the morning and the first lady puts out a statement demanding you be fired from your job?" Kimmel's monologue began. "We鈥檝e all been there, right?鈥�
Kimmel then continued to criticize the first lady, doubling down on political rhetoric after Trump warnings.
鈥淥bviously, it was a joke about their age difference and the look of joy we see on her face every time they鈥檙e together,鈥� he said, adding "they know that" was not a joke about "assassination" but Trump dying of old age.
Kimmel also added he understands the "stress" of being Trump's first lady.
鈥淏ut I understand that the first lady had a stressful experience over the weekend, and probably every weekend is pretty stressful in that house,鈥� he continued. 鈥淎nd 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.
"Donald Trump is allowed to say whatever he wants to say, as are you and as am I. Because under the First Amendment, we have, as Americans, a right to free speech.鈥�
Kimmel did apologize to the media that was impacted by the assassination attempt, though, saying he was 鈥渟orry鈥� for everyone at the dinner.
鈥淛ust because no one got killed doesn鈥檛 mean it wasn鈥檛 traumatic and scary, and we should come together," he said. "We really should
鈥淏ut, if you want us to believe that a joke I made three days before this dinner had any effect on anything that happened, well then, maybe someone should look into this psychic lady too.鈥�
Kimmel then blamed White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt in saying Trump will be roasting his media critics: "There will be shots fired."
Leavitt was referring to the nature of the WCHA Dinner, which is a "roast" of critics in a fun-loving tone.
Reuters contributed to this report.
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