The iconic awards gala took place last night at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, hosted by comedian Conan O’Brien. The event saw One Battle After Another and Sinners enjoy major success, with the former winning six Academy Awards and the latter earning four.
Presenting the award for Best Documentary Feature Film was late‑night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel, who used his time on stage to throw some shade at the Trumps.
Given Kimmel’s turbulent history with President Donald Trump — and the fact that Melania Trump released her own documentary, Melania, in January — it was almost inevitable that the First Lady would end up in the firing line with Kimmel presenting a documentary award.
“There are also documentaries where you walk around the White House trying on shoes,” the talk show host said before announcing the winner.
He then added: “Oh man, is he going to be mad his wife wasn’t nominated for this.”
The Amazon documentary, which currently holds a paltry 1.5/10 rating on IMDb, followed Melania as she prepared to return to the White House in 2025 after her husband’s victory in the 2024 US elections.
“With exclusive footage capturing critical meetings, private conversations, and never‑before‑seen environments, Melania showcases Mrs. Trump’s return to one of the world’s most powerful roles,” a synopsis of the film reads.
The First Lady was reportedly paid $40 million by Amazon for exclusive behind‑the‑scenes access to her life.
“I’m very proud of the film, so people may like it, may don’t like it, and that’s their choice,” Melania told CNN after its release. “We achieved what we want to achieve. For myself, it’s already successful. I’m very proud of what we did.”
By and large, critics delivered scathing reviews of Melania, with The Hollywood Reporter calling it “expensive propaganda,” The Atlantic labeling it “a disgrace,” and The Guardian describing it as “gilded trash.”
As for Kimmel’s sharp barbs, the talk show host’s history with the Trumps goes back years, even if Donald is usually his primary target.
Kimmel was taken off air last year after comments following the assassination of Charlie Kirk — remarks that reportedly drew Trump’s ire — before later being reinstated on ABC.
Last night, Kimmel appeared to aim another dig at Trump and CBS, stating: “Telling a story that could get you killed for telling it is real courage. As you know, there are some countries whose leaders don’t support free speech. I’m not at liberty to say which. Let’s just leave it at North Korea & CBS.”
