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Melania Blames Kimmel; Shooter Injures Agent, Trump Reverses Dinner Stance

4/27/2026

36 3 Full Breakdown

Left

Melania Accuses

First Lady Melania Trump publicly accused late-night host Jimmy Kimmel of inciting the violence and called him a coward.
Cole Thomas Allen, 31, from Torrance, California, shot a Secret Service agent at the Hilton during the dinner and was arrested.
Investigators said the gunman stayed in the hotel and used a stairwell to bypass screening.
President Donald Trump urged the dinner to continue, then reversed his stance after consulting officials.

Right

Leavitt Briefs

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt postponed her planned maternity leave to brief reporters on the shooting.
Cole Thomas Allen, 31, from Torrance, California, shot a Secret Service agent at the Washington Hilton and is in custody.
President Donald Trump said the attack traumatized First Lady Melania Trump and praised Secret Service.
White House will reschedule dinner within 30 days, urging the show to go on.

History

Historical Context

On March 30 1981, John Hinckley Jr. fired six shots at President Ronald Reagan outside the Washington Hilton, wounding the president and three aides and prompting a security overhaul. Decades later, on April 25 2026, 31-year-old Cole Allen opened fire inside the same hotel, injuring a Secret Service agent and reviving concerns about event security. Both incidents highlight persistent vulnerabilities in protecting national leaders.

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Melania Accuses

First Lady Melania Trump publicly accused late-night host Jimmy Kimmel of inciting the violence and called him a coward.
Cole Thomas Allen, 31, from Torrance, California, shot a Secret Service agent at the Hilton during the dinner and was arrested.
Investigators said the gunman stayed in the hotel and used a stairwell to bypass screening.
President Donald Trump urged the dinner to continue, then reversed his stance after consulting officials.

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