Stephen Cheung, a prominent aide from the Trump White House, launched a scathing critique of late-night host Jimmy Kimmel following Kimmel’s disparaging comments about First Lady Melania Trump’s documentary.

During the Academy Awards on Sunday night, Kimmel made Melania Trump the target of his humor, alluding to her documentary that premiered on Amazon in January.

In his speech, Kimmel highlighted the value of documentaries, often made under challenging circumstances to shed light on injustices or tell significant stories, before pivoting to a more cynical note.

“There are also documentaries where you walk around the White House trying on shoes,” Kimmel quipped.

This comment was a jab at “Melania,” a documentary chronicling the First Lady’s preparations for her return to the White House.

In response, Cheung took to social media platform X on Sunday evening, writing, “Jimmy Kimmel (Mr. Blackface) is a classless hack who projects his own depression and sadness onto others. His existence is so pathetic that not even his family enjoys his miserable company.”

During his time on Comedy Central in the early 2000’s, Kimmel used to parody NBA player Karl Malone while in blackface. Years later, in June of 2020, Kimmel said, ‘Looking back, many of these sketches are embarrassing.’

‘The only people giving him any attention are Hollywood Elites. BUH-BYE,’ Chueng added.

Jimmy Kimmel speaks onstage during the the 98th annual Academy Awards ceremony at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California, USA, 15 March 2026

Stephen Miller (R), Deputy White House Chief of Staff for Policy, walks into the White House with Steven Cheung, White House Communications Director on January 28, 2025 in Washington, DC

First Lady Melania Trump attends Amazon MGM’s ‘Melania’ World Premiere at The Trump Kennedy Center on January 29, 2026 in Washington, DC

A recurring segment saw Kimmel parodying NBA player Karl Malone while in blackface

Kimmel then continued the theme as he announced the Best Documentary Feature winner, joking that someone in particular might be upset.

‘Oh man, is he gonna be mad his wife wasn’t nominated for this,’ Kimmel said in another swipe at Trump.

The Academy’s own nomination criteria would not have seen the Melania documentary included in 2026 Oscars, as films needed to have been released between January 1 and December 31 of the previous year.

Nominations began in November 2025, and nominees were announced on January  22nd of 2026, a week before the Melania movie came out. 

The Melania doc smashed its dismal box office sales estimates during the opening weekend – much to the shock of Hollywood.

The movie earned $7 million in ticket sales across the US and Canada, making it the best-performing theatrical release for a documentary, outside of concert films, since 2012.

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrive for the premiere of her movie ‘Melania’ at The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center For The Performing Arts, Thursday, January 29, 2026, in Washington

President Trump is seen here on Kimmel’s show ahead of his first term as president 

First lady Melania Trump signs the book on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange before ringing the opening bell, Wednesday, January 28, 2026

 Kimmel and the President have clashed publicly for years, frequently trading insults across television and social media.

The latest flashpoint came last fall, after Kimmel’s late-night show was temporarily suspended following controversial remarks about the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

‘Great News for America: The ratings-challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is CANCELLED,’ the President wrote online after the suspension was announced.

Kimmel returned to his nightly broadcast five days later.

The late-night host sparked additional controversy as he presented documentary awards at the Oscars, delivering a series of sharp remarks about the President and the First Lady’s new movie, and what he framed as threats to free speech.

‘There are some countries whose leaders don’t support free speech,’ Kimmel told the audience.

 ‘I’m not at liberty to say which, but let’s just leave it at North Korea and CBS.’

The line drew laughs inside the theater as viewers recognized the jab at the network’s decision last year to cancel The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, together with the repositioning of its news arm to be more favorable to Trump.

CBS News is now led by Bari Weiss, a conservative commentator-turned-media entrepreneur, whose appointment was seen as a nod to the Trump administration.

The network announced last year that it was ending Colbert’s long-running late-night program, describing the move at the time as a ‘financial decision.’