Kimmel's Trump Joke Sparks Backlash, Free Speech Debate

0:00On April 2-8, Jimmy Kimmel caught major heat for a joke he dropped on his show last week, parading a dinner event where President Trump was the target of an assassination attempt. The suspect, Cole Thomas Allen, got arrested after allegedly firing shots, hitting a secret service agent in the chest. That agent wore a bulletproof vest, got treated at a hospital and was released fine. Melania Trump fired back on X, slamming the joke as hateful and demanding ABC fire Kimmel right away. She called him a coward hiding behind the network. President Trump jumped in on true social, labeling it a despicable call to violence and echoing the call for his immediate dismissal. Kimmel hid back Monday night, agreeing with part of Melania's statement, but defending free speech under the First Amendment for everyone, including Trump. He apologized for the trauma everyone at the event felt, saying even without deaths, it was scary and we should unite. This isn't Kimmel's first rodeo. Last year,

1:00he got suspended briefly after comments on a killer tied to Charlie Kirk, drawing fire from the FCC chair. Who threatened license revokes? Free speech fans pushed back and he returned quick. ABC and Disney stay quiet on requests for comment, but the debate rages on about comedy lines versus real world threats in these tense times. This has been entertainment and celebrity news today, powered by AI. I'm Cory with the story.