Melania Trump has publicly called for ABC to take action against late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, demanding the network "take a stand" after he made a joke comparing her to an "expectant widow" during a parodied White House Correspondents' Dinner skit. Trump stated in a message on X that Kimmel's words were not comedy but "corrosive" and served to deepen "the political sickness within America."
The remarks from the former First Lady come in the wake of a shooting incident at the actual White House Correspondents' Dinner. Trump's strong condemnation of Kimmel, framing his monologue as "hateful and violent rhetoric intended to divide our country," marks her first public comments on the events surrounding the dinner, which also saw President Donald Trump and other officials evacuated. The joke aired on Thursday, days before an alleged gunman attempted to enter the event.
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Kimmel's show had previously aired a segment last week that parodied the White House Correspondents' Dinner. During this skit, Kimmel delivered jokes as if he were hosting the actual event, which this year did not feature a comedian. It was within this parody that Kimmel made the remark about Melania Trump having "a glow like an expectant widow." This specific joke, amplified by conservative social media users following the shooting, has drawn significant backlash.
Representatives for ABC and Jimmy Kimmel have not yet responded to requests for comment from multiple news outlets. However, Melania Trump has directly urged the network to address what she termed Kimmel's "atrocious behavior." She accused Kimmel of hiding "behind ABC because he knows the network will keep running cover to protect him."
This is not the first time Kimmel has faced criticism from the Trump camp. Last September, ABC temporarily suspended Kimmel following jokes he made about the president, an action that sparked accusations of government censorship. At that time, Brendan Carr, chair of the Federal Communications Commission, had urged ABC to take action, leading to debate over free speech protections. ABC eventually reinstated Kimmel's show amidst bipartisan pushback.
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The former First Lady's latest public statement has also been echoed by other Republicans who have weighed in on Kimmel's remarks, both before and after the recent incident at the dinner. The alleged gunman, Cole Allen, reportedly left a note indicating a belief that it was his duty to target Trump administration officials. The former First Lady has reportedly become increasingly concerned about security measures in recent years.
