United States (US) President Donald Trump has called for the immediate firing of late-night host Jimmy Kimmel after a controversial joke about First Lady Melania Trump aired just days before a shooting incident at a Washington event.
In a post on Truth Social on Tuesday (28 April), Trump accused Kimmel of inciting violence following the comedian’s comment about his wife, which Trump deemed “far beyond the pale”.
Source: @realDonaldTrump on Truth Social
“Jimmy Kimmel should be immediately fired by Disney and ABC,” he wrote.
The backlash came after a segment aired on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Thursday (23 April), filmed at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
During the sketch, Kimmel joked that Melania Trump looked like an “expectant widow”.
“Our First Lady, Melania, is here,” he said. “Look at Melania, so beautiful. Mrs Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow.”
Trump, angered by the remarks, slammed them as a “despicable call to violence”.
He also claimed the segment included a “fake video” suggesting Melania and their son Barron were present in the studio.
Source: Jimmy Kimmel Live on Facebook
The controversy intensified after a gunman opened fire near the venue of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington, D.C., where Trump had been attending with the First Lady.
Authorities said the suspect, 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen, was apprehended near a staircase leading to a ballroom where hundreds of guests were attending.
Source: @realDonaldTrump on Truth Social
He has since been charged with attempting to assassinate the president, along with weapon-related offences. No plea has been entered.
Trump later described the evening as “a rather traumatic experience” for his wife, BBC reported.
Responding on his show, Kimmel defended the remark, saying it was not intended to incite harm.
“It was a very light roast joke about the fact that he’s almost 80 and she’s younger than I am,” he said.
“It was not by any stretch of the definition a call to assassination.”
Source: Jimmy Kimmel Live on Facebook
He added that he has “been very vocal for many years speaking out against gun violence”.
First Lady Melania Trump weighed in on the issue, describing Kimmel’s comments as inappropriate and harmful.
In a post on X on Monday (27 April), she condemned his “hateful and violent rhetoric” as an attempt to “divide our country”.
“His monologue about my family isn’t comedy-his words are corrosive and deepens the political sickness within America,” she wrote
She added that “people like Kimmel shouldn’t have the opportunity to enter our homes each evening to spread hate”.
Source: @FLOTUS on X
The incident has sparked renewed debate online, with critics accusing Kimmel of fuelling hostility, while others argue the backlash is disproportionate.
Mr Trump, in his Truth Social post, said he appreciated that many people were “incensed” by the remarks, reiterating his call for action against the comedian.
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Featured image adapted from Jimmy Kimmel Live on Facebook and Jimmy Kimmel Live on Facebook.