A major political and media dispute has erupted in the United States involving President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, and late-night host Jimmy Kimmel. Melania publicly criticized Kimmel on Monday, urging ABC to take action, while President Trump went further, calling for Kimmel's immediate dismissal.
The controversy stems from a joke Kimmel made during a comedy monologue on April 3, in which he said Melania had 'a glow like an expectant widow.' Trump described the remarks as 'a despicable call to violence.' Kimmel also mocked Melania's documentary, calling it 'the world's first motionless picture.'
The incident occurred against the backdrop of the White House Correspondents' Dinner. Kimmel hosted an alternative event where he mocked the first lady. Just days earlier, on April 5, an armed man attempted to enter the hall where Trump, Melania, and administration officials were present. Republicans have linked Kimmel's joke to the attack attempt.
Melania wrote on X: 'People like Kimmel shouldn't have the opportunity to enter our homes each evening to spread hate. Enough is enough. It is time for ABC to take a stand.' President Trump on Truth Social demanded Kimmel be 'immediately fired' by ABC and its parent company Walt Disney Co.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said: 'Who, in their right mind, says a wife would be glowing over the potential murder of her beloved husband?' Kimmel responded that his words were misconstrued, calling it 'a very light roast joke' and not a 'call to assassination.'
The conflict is part of a long-running tension between Trump and Kimmel. Last year, ABC suspended Kimmel after the Trump administration threatened action over commentary suggesting the killer of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk might be a Republican. FCC chairman Brendan Carr warned of 'additional work for the FCC' if no action was taken. ABC reinstated Kimmel less than a week later after backlash from free speech advocates.
Trump also lashed out at CBS's Norah O'Donnell for reading from the manifesto of suspect Cole Thomas Allen during a 60 Minutes interview. CBS is owned by Paramount Skydance, whose CEO David Ellison is a close Trump ally. In July 2025, the network paid $16 million to settle a lawsuit brought by Trump over alleged biased editing of a Kamala Harris interview.
Source: www.aljazeera.com