UPDATE: Jimmy Kimmel has taken aim at former President Donald Trump for his controversial reaction to the tragic shooting death of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, who was killed on September 27, 2023, at Utah Valley State University. Kimmel’s remarks came during his monologue last night, where he highlighted Trump’s failure to address the incident in a unifying manner.
This shocking event has captured national attention, with authorities still actively searching for the shooter. Kimmel expressed disbelief that Trump would not attempt to bring the country together during such a crisis. “With all these terrible things happening, you would think that our president would at least make an attempt to bring us together, but he didn’t,” Kimmel stated.
Kimmel contrasted Trump’s response with those of other former presidents, noting that President Obama, President Biden, and former Presidents Bush and Clinton each made efforts to unify the nation during similar tragedies. “President Trump did not,” he declared. Instead, Trump has reportedly blamed the shooting on the rhetoric of the “radical left,” stating, “We just have to beat the hell out of them.”
During the segment, Kimmel reminded viewers of Trump’s past comments that have incited violence, saying, “The man who told a crowd of supporters that maybe the second amendment people should do something about Hillary Clinton,” and “The man who unleashed a mob on the Capitol.” His powerful critiques underscored the seriousness of Trump’s remarks in the context of recent violence.
“I’ve seen a lot of extraordinarily vile responses to this from both sides of the political spectrum,” Kimmel said, condemning reactions that celebrate Kirk’s death. “Some people are cheering this, which is something I won’t ever understand.”
Kimmel also addressed another recent tragedy, mentioning a school shooting in Jefferson County, Colorado, that left three individuals in critical condition, marking the hundredth shooting incident of the year. This grim statistic adds urgency to the ongoing national conversation about gun violence.
Although Kirk’s death occurred shortly before Kimmel’s show aired, he took to Instagram to express his condolences, stating, “Can we just for one day agree that it is horrible and monstrous to shoot another human?” He added, “On behalf of my family, we send love to the Kirks and to all the children, parents, and innocents who fall victim to senseless gun violence.”
Kimmel’s strong words reflect a broader frustration within the American public regarding political leaders’ responses to gun violence. The late-night host’s ongoing criticism of Trump has been a consistent theme, especially as the former president has repeatedly targeted Kimmel in his public remarks.
As the search for the shooter continues and the nation grapples with another senseless tragedy, the discussions initiated by Kimmel and the responses from political figures will be crucial to watch in the coming days. The urgency for change in how leaders address such incidents has never been more pronounced.
Stay tuned for further updates as this story develops and authorities work to bring the shooter to justice.