Melania Trump has condemned late-night host Jimmy Kimmel over a joke in which he referred to her as an “expectant widow” during a segment about the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, which she attended alongside the president.
The First Lady described Kimmel’s comment as “hateful and violent”, and called on his broadcaster, ABC, to take action against what she termed his “atrocious behavior”.
The remarks were made during a Thursday monologue in which Kimmel previewed the annual dinner. At the time, he joked, “Our First Lady, Melania, is here. Look at Melania, so beautiful. Mrs Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow,” Kimmel said.
Tensions were further heightened after a gunman opened fire at Saturday’s dinner, an incident authorities believe may have been aimed at members of the Trump administration.
On Monday, Melania Trump took to X to express her anger, writing: “people like Kimmel shouldn’t have the opportunity to enter our homes each evening to spread hate,” and urging ABC to “take a stand”.
She added, “His monologue about my family isn’t comedy – his words are corrosive and deepens the political sickness within America,” and questioned, “How many times will ABC’s leadership enable Kimmel’s atrocious behavior at the expense of our community.”
President Trump also responded on Truth Social, echoing criticism of the comedian. He wrote on Monday afternoon, “[T]his is something far beyond the pale. Jimmy Kimmel should be immediately fired by Disney and ABC,” he said, adding that many people were “incensed by Kimmel’s” remarks, which he described as a “call to violence”.
