Melania Trump savages 'hateful, cowardly' Jimmy Kimmel in furious X post

Melania Trump has launched a scathing attack on US TV star Jimmy Kimmel on X, branding him “hateful” and a “coward.” The First Lady slammed the television host and comedian following a joke in which he referred to Ms Trump as an “expectant widow.”

The gag aired during Thursday’s episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live! In advance of a shooting at a dinner where the US president was in attendance. Ms Trump posted on X: “Kimmel’s hateful and violent rhetoric is intended to divide our country. His monologue about my family isn’t comedy- his words are corrosive and deepens the political sickness within America.”

Kimmel had parodied the event in advance of it being held, where he gave a monologue as if he were the host of the annual dinner.

Days later, US President Donald Trump, the First Lady and other top officials were evacuated from an annual dinner of White House correspondents on Saturday night after shots were fired in the building.

Kimmel was taken off air last year due to backlash from the White House regarding comments made in the wake of the killing of Charlie Kirk.

In a monologue after Mr Kirk’s death, Kimmel said “many in MAGA land are working very hard to capitalise on the murder of Charlie Kirk” and that “the MAGA gang” was “desperately trying to characterise this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them”.

After a standing ovation on his return, Kimmel said: “It was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man.

“I don’t think there’s anything funny about it.”

Speaking in on X, Ms Trump added: “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. (sic)”

The man accused of trying to storm the ballroom at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner with guns and knives had written about targeting Trump administration officials, President Donald Trump has said.

The suspect, identified by law enforcement officials as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen, attempted to charge into the cavernous ballroom at the Washington Hilton but was tackled to the ground in a violent scene that resulted in shots being fired.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told NBC’s Meet The Press: “It does appear that he did in fact set out to target folks who work in the administration, likely including the president.”

Video posted by Mr Trump showed the suspect running past security barricades as Secret Service agents ran toward him. One officer was shot in a bullet-resistant vest but was recovering, officials said. The gunman was taken into custody and was not injured, but was being evaluated at a hospital, police said.

Authorities believe the suspect fired the shot that hit the Secret Service officer, who is expected to make a full recovery, Mr Blanche said.