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Jimmy Kimmel criticized Donald Trump on Monday, April 27, after Trump used the White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting as part of his push to restart construction of a White House ballroom.
In his monologue, Kimmel argued that Trump quickly turned the aftermath of the April 25 shooting into an argument supporting his long discussed ballroom project. Trump has repeatedly insisted that the White House needs a new ballroom and has continued promoting the idea in the days following the incident, while also encouraging members of his administration and Republican allies to support the plan.
Trump later reinforced his push during a high profile meeting on April 28, when he welcomed King Charles and Queen Camilla to the White House and presented a model of the proposed ballroom as part of their visit.
Kimmel mocked the president's framing of the project, saying Trump has a habit of turning situations into real estate opportunities. He also referenced Trump's description of the plan as a "militarily top secret ballroom," questioning the seriousness of the claim. Kimmel added that while he did not believe security was the true motivation behind the proposal, the argument was presented in a way that almost made it sound justified.
He joked that if a ballroom existed, it could at least serve as a place where officials could dance in the event of another emergency.
During the same broadcast, Kimmel was joined by former Obama speechwriter and podcast host Jon Lovett, who filled in for a scheduled guest who canceled after the shooting. Lovett pushed back on Kimmel's shifting view of the ballroom proposal, noting that construction had previously been halted following a court ruling that questioned whether Trump had authority to remove parts of the East Wing for the project. Legal disputes over the issue are ongoing.
Lovett argued that the existence of a tragic event elsewhere does not make the ballroom proposal more valid, calling the logic behind it flawed.
The broader controversy also involved criticism directed at Kimmel himself, after comments he made in a satirical monologue prior to the shooting sparked backlash. Kimmel later defended his joke as a light roast about age differences but also expressed regret for any distress caused, acknowledging the seriousness of the situation and the fear experienced by those present.
The alleged gunman was apprehended before reaching the event space, and federal charges were later filed. The White House continued to criticize Kimmel following his monologue, with officials calling for disciplinary action against him and escalating the dispute between the administration and the late night host.
