Video Leavitt blames 'left-wing cult of hatred' for political violence White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt excoriated what she described as the "left-wing cult of hatred" for fueling political violence in the wake another alleged assassination attempt on President Donald Trump.
The White House kept up its heat on Jimmy Kimmel on Monday, as President Donald Trump called on Disney to fire the ABC late-night host for making a "call to violence" last week and press secretary Karoline Leavitt called him "completely deranged."
First lady Melania Trump had already called on Monday for Kimmel's firing over his "hateful" language after the liberal late-night host referred to her as "an expectant widow" days before the White House Correspondents’ Dinner was interrupted by a suspected attempted assassin.
"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," Melania Trump posted on X.
President Trump agreed and followed with his own post, declaring, "Wow, Jimmy Kimmel, who is in no way funny as attested to by his terrible Television Ratings, made a statement on his Show that is really shocking. He showed a fake video of the First Lady, Melania, and our son, Barron, like they were actually sitting in his studio, listening to him speak, which they weren’t, and never would be. He then stated, ‘Our First Lady, Melania, is here. Look at Melania, so beautiful. Mrs. Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow.’"
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President Donald Trump called on Disney/ABC to fire Jimmy Kimmel. (Michael Regan/FIFA; Matt Winkelmeyer/The Hollywood Reporter)
Trump continued, connecting it to the shooting at the White House correspondents dinner that happened shortly afterward.
"A day later a lunatic tried entering the ballroom of the White House Correspondents Dinner, loaded up with a shotgun, handgun, and many knives," he wrote. "He was there for a very obvious and sinister reason. 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!"
Leavitt also unloaded on Kimmel during her press briefing on Monday.
"Who in their right mind says a wife would be glowing over the potential murder of her beloved husband?" she said. "And having experienced what I did with the first lady on Saturday night, I can tell you that she was anything but that. This kind of rhetoric about the president, the first lady, and his supporters is completely deranged, and it’s unbelievable that the American people are consuming it night after night."
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First Lady Melania Trump and President Donald Trump attend the White House Correspondents' Association dinner at the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C., on April 25, 2026. (Mandel Ngan/AFP)
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Kimmel faced similar backlash for his remarks last year, when he was suspended by ABC parent company, Disney, after remarks about the assassination of Charlie Kirk sparked outrage and a veiled threat from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
Fox News Digital reached out to the White House and did not receive immediate reply.
Fox News' Brian Flood contributed to this report.
Alexander Hall is an associate editor for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to Alexander.hall@fox.com.
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