US EditionTrump calls on ABC to fire Kimmel after he joked Melania was an ‘expectant widow’
Trump and Melania say Kimmel’s joke about an “expectant widow” crossed a line, as ABC faces pressure over the host’s remarks.
- On Monday, President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump demanded ABC and Disney fire late-night host Jimmy Kimmel over his "expectant widow" joke about the first lady, linking the remark to the attempted assassination at the White House Correspondents' Dinner.
- Kimmel's April 23 parody monologue featured a sketch about the first lady, which Trump and his allies characterized as "corrosive" rhetoric linked to the April 25 security breach at the Washington Hilton. The joke aired two days before the incident.
- White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt labeled the comedian's remarks "completely deranged" during a Monday briefing. Suspect Cole Tomas Allen was charged with attempted assassination following the Saturday shooting that wounded a Secret Service agent.
- ABC and parent company Disney face a critical free speech stress test, with new CEO Josh D'Amaro confronting an early decision on whether to discipline Kimmel amid intense presidential and public pressure. The choice will likely set corporate precedent on balancing talent protections with government demands.
- This controversy mirrors past interventions, including Trump's 2025 pressure on ABC over Kimmel's remarks about conservative activist Charlie Kirk, highlighting a recurring pattern of presidential scrutiny over broadcast content and licenses. Free speech advocates argue satire remains constitutionally protected.
125 Articles
125 Articles
President, first lady demand ABC fire Jimmy Kimmel over ‘widow’ joke | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
WASHINGTON >> President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump demanded in separate social media posts today that ABC pull comedian Jimmy Kimmel from its airwaves over a bit involving the White House correspondents’ dinner, delivered two days before it occurred.
Trump Accuses Jimmy Kimmel of 'Call to Violence'
Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency/MEGA (left) ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA (right) Popular late-night television host Jimmy Kimmel caused a stir recently after referring to Melania Trump as an “expectant widow.” Making matters worse, days later, there was a shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, the same event Kimmel’s video parodied. Now, President Donald Trump is weighing in, stating that the comedian’s words were a call to violence. Donal…
Donald Trump calls for Jimmy Kimmel's firing after 'expectant widow' joke about Melania Trump
Days prior, Kimmel gave his own White House Correspondents' Dinner speech on his talk show, joking about the president and first lady.Donald Trump; Jimmy KimmelCredit: Getty(2)Key PointsDonald Trump is doubling down on the first lady's call for ABC to fire Jimmy Kimmel."I appreciate that so many people are incensed by Kimmel’s despicable call to violence," Trump wrote on Truth Social.The late-night host lambasted the president and first lady in …
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