First Lady Melania Trump has publicly criticized late-night host Jimmy Kimmel for a joke in which he referred to her as an "expectant widow" during a parody segment of the White House Correspondents' Dinner. The remarks, made on Kimmel's show on Thursday, came just days before a shooting incident at the actual dinner, which Trump attended with President Donald Trump. In a post on X on Monday, Melania Trump called Kimmel's comments "hateful and violent" and urged ABC to take action against the comedian. "His monologue about my family isn't comedy—his words are corrosive and deepen the political sickness within America," she wrote. "People like Kimmel shouldn't have the opportunity to enter our homes each evening to spread hate."
President Trump also weighed in on the issue, calling for Kimmel to be fired. "Jimmy Kimmel should be immediately fired by Disney and ABC," Trump wrote on Truth Social. The president described Kimmel's remarks as a "call to violence" and "something far beyond the pale."
The shooting at the White House Correspondents' Dinner occurred on Saturday, when a gunman opened fire at the Washington Hilton. Authorities say the attack may have targeted members of the Trump administration. The suspect, identified as Cole Allen, was apprehended before reaching the ballroom where the Trumps were seated.
Kimmel's joke was part of a segment parodying the dinner, which he described as an alternative to the event's usual comedic performances. In the segment, Kimmel said, "Our First Lady, Melania, is here. Look at Melania, so beautiful. Mrs. Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow."
This is not the first time Kimmel has faced backlash for his remarks. In September, he was temporarily taken off the air after making comments about the shooting of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk. Kimmel later apologized, stating that his remarks had been "ill-timed or unclear or maybe both."
ABC has not yet responded to requests for comment on the latest controversy.