Following the shooting at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner, US President Trump and First Lady Melania demanded on the April 27 that ABC fire late-night talk show host and comedian Jimmy Kimmel. Two days before the shooting, Jimmy Kimmel had joked on his show that Melania looked like an "expectant widow."
On his show on the April 23, Jimmy Kimmel took jabs at Trump and even simulated a possible scenario at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner. He said, "our first lady, Melania, is here. Look at Melania, so beautiful. Mrs. Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow." Two days later, gunshots rang out at the dinner, and the Trumps fled in disarray. On the April 27, Melania posted on social media, stating that Jimmy Kimmel's hateful and violent remarks were intended to divide the nation. Melania described him as a "coward" hiding behind ABC and being shielded by the network, and demanded that ABC take a stand.
Trump subsequently took to social media to accuse Jimmy Kimmel of "despicable call to violence." Trump called on ABC and its parent company, Disney, to immediately fire Jimmy Kimmel. ABC and Disney have not yet responded to the Trumps' demands.
Jimmy Kimmel responded, saying, "It was not by any stretch of the definition a call to assassination, and they know that. I've been very vocal for many years speaking out against gun violence in particular." He said the original joke was merely a "light roast" at the 23-year age gap between the president and his wife. Last September, Jimmy Kimmel's show was suspended for a week after he drew criticism from conservatives for his comments on the shooting of right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk.
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