Trump taking pictures newest: Suspect charged with tried assassination of president whereas Jimmy Kimmel explains his Melania joke | EUROtoday
Jimmy Kimmel is addressing the continued controversy over a latest remark he made that First Lady Melania Trump seems to be like an “expectant widow.” The president and high Republicans have referred to as for Kimmel to be fired.
In a monologue on Monday night time, the late-night host mentioned that his joke, made on an episode days earlier than the taking pictures on the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, was being misinterpreted as a name to violence.
Kimmel advised his viewers right this moment that the remark was concerning the president and first girl’s age distinction.
“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,” Kimmel mentioned.
Earlier within the day, alleged Correspondents’ Dinner shooter Cole Tomas Allen appeared in federal court docket to face three fees.
The 31-year-old has not entered a plea, and extra fees are anticipated within the days forward.
The Torrance, California, man despatched an e mail to relations describing his plot, itemizing his alleged targets within the Trump administration “prioritized from highest-ranking to lowest,” in accordance with court docket paperwork.
Investigators are actually probing crime scene proof and Allen’s digital historical past for clues, officers say.
Allen is anticipated again in court docket on Thursday.
Recap: Suspect seems in court docket after storming White House Correspondents’ Dinner
Welcome to The Independent’s U.S. politics liveblog.
If you’re simply becoming a member of us, right here’s a recap of our high story:
- A gunman tried to storm the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on the Washington Hilton Hotel on Saturday night time, with photographs fired earlier than he was apprehended by the Secret Service.
- President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, senior Cabinet officers and tons of of journalists have been in attendance on the occasion in the course of the assault.
- One Secret Service agent was shot however was shielded from critical damage by a bulletproof vest. The agent has since been discharged from the hospital.
- The suspect, Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old pc programmer from Torrance, California, appeared in federal court docket for the primary time Monday. He’s been hit with three fees, together with attempting to assassinate the president.
- Allen allegedly referred to as himself a “Friendly Federal Assassin” and had an anti-Trump manifesto, in accordance with court docket paperwork.
- Trump referred to as for the dinner to be held within the coming weeks because the White House revisits safety protocols surrounding the president.
- As investigations into the taking pictures continued, King Charles and Queen Camilla arrived to Washington, D.C., on Monday, for a state go to.
Joe Sommerlad, Ariana Baio27 April 2026 08:38
All the fees towards Cole Allen, suspect in White House Correspondents’ Dinner taking pictures
Cole Tomas Allen, 31, has been slapped with three fees following the taking pictures on the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday, the Department of Justice mentioned.
The first and most critical cost is an try and assassinate the president of the United States, which carries a possible sentence of as much as life in federal jail. He additionally faces a cost of transporting a firearm throughout state strains with intent to commit a felony, and a 3rd cost of discharging a firearm throughout a criminal offense of violence — every carrying as much as 10 years in jail.
Allen’s subsequent court docket look is a detention listening to on Thursday which is able to decide whether or not he stays in custody till trial.
Stuti Mishra28 April 2026 06:38
Kimmel’s joke a part of marketing campaign that ‘helped legitimize’ violence, White House press secretary says
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt mentioned Jimmy Kimmel’s joke on Melania and Donald Trump was a part of a marketing campaign of rhetoric from Democrats and a few within 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 mentioned. There was no indication that Kimmel was referring to violence.
Her response comes after each president and first girl referred to as for ABC to fireside Kimmel on Monday after a joke final week by which the late-night comedian described the primary girl as having “the glow of an expectant widow.”

Stuti Mishra28 April 2026 06:02
ICYMI: Who is Cole Tomas Allen?
The dinner was thrown into chaos after the suspected lone gunman, recognized as Cole Tomas Allen, allegedly rushed previous safety and fired at the least one gunshot. The suspected shooter was concentrating on members of the Trump administration, he wrote in a message to relations earlier than the assault, in accordance with court docket paperwork.
Allen, a 31-year-old pc engineer from California, has been charged with making an attempt to assassinate the president, in addition to two weapons fees.
More particulars in our full story.
Josh Marcus28 April 2026 05:15
Trump slams conspiracy theories after ‘Staged’ tendencies on social media following Correspondents’ Dinner taking pictures
The incident unfolded on Saturday night time, because the president attended the occasion for the primary time since 2011. Baseless hypothesis about whether or not the taking pictures, which follows two assassination makes an attempt towards Trump in 2024, was staged blew up on social media shortly after.
The time period “staged” was featured in additional than 300,000 posts on X by noon Sunday, in accordance with TweetBinder.
When requested on CBS News’60 Minutes about conspiracy theories swirling across the occasion, Trump initially mentioned he had not heard concerning the on-line hypothesis.
More particulars in our full story.
Josh Marcus28 April 2026 05:00
Jimmy Kimmel jokes he is ‘pro-ballroom’ now
Jimmy Kimmel could also be a reluctant supporter of President Donald Trump’s White House ballroom challenge, he joked throughout his opening monologue on Monday.
“I might be pro-ballroom now, after this,” he mentioned.
He added that if “anything terrible ever happens, at least they can dance” in Trump’s signature challenge.
Kimmel’s not the one one.
Josh Marcus28 April 2026 04:52
Kimmel claims ‘widow’ joke was about Melania’s age, not assassination
Jimmy Kimmel is now providing a extra detailed rationalization of his “expectant widow” joke concerning the first girl, arguing it wasn’t associated to violence in any respect.
The host mentioned the joke, made days earlier than Saturday’s Correspondents’ Dinner taking pictures, 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 viewers.
“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.”
Josh Marcus28 April 2026 04:43
‘Rather a lot’ extra fees coming in taking pictures investigation, Jeanine Pirro says
The trio of present fees towards Correspondents’ Dinner taking pictures suspect Cole Tomas Allen are just the start, in accordance with the highest 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 advised Fox News on Monday night. “The indictment will include a lot more charges. We’ll know a lot more. Right now we have a solid case.”
Allen is at the moment charged with making an attempt to assassinate the president, in addition to two weapons fees. He has not entered a plea.
Pirro added that the FBI is combing via Allen’s digital historical past in search of 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 mentioned.
Josh Marcus28 April 2026 04:40
Kimmel jokes about First Lady assertion in opening monologue
Jimmy Kimmel is dwell on air, and he seems to be set to deal with the continued controversy about his latest routine.
“Sometimes, you wake up in the morning and the First Lady puts out a statement, demanding you be fired from your job,” Kimmel started. “We’ve all been there, right?”
Josh Marcus28 April 2026 04:39
Republicans now need taxpayers to fund Trump’s $400 million ballroom
“It’s very difficult to have a bunch of important people in the same place unless it’s really, really secure,” Sen. Lindsey Graham advised 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 invoice to fund the ballroom and offset prices by utilizing customs and nationwide parks consumer charges. The proposal consists of constructing new army and Secret Service infrastructure inside the ballroom advanced.
Graham mentioned the White House helps his effort, regardless of the president’s frequent claims that he and personal donors have been personally funding your complete ballroom challenge. The White House has beforehand mentioned main tech firms, together with those who do enterprise with the federal authorities and donated to Trump’s inauguration, have dedicated thousands and thousands to funding the ballroom.
More particulars in our full story.
Josh Marcus28 April 2026 04:34
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-white-house-cole-allen-shooting-live-melania-kimmel-b2966115.html