Trump and Melania Call for ABC Network to Terminate Host Jimmy Kimmel After His “Widow Glow” Remark About the First Lady

Key Points:

The rift between late-night show host Jimmy Kimmel and U.S. President Donald Trump has taken a new turn following the shooting incident at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner (WHCD) on April 25, 2026. The President of the United States and First Lady Melania Trump have demanded Kimmel’s termination from the ABC network after his “widow” remark about the First Lady, made on his show telecast on April 23, 2026, was called “violent” and “hateful” by the first lady herself.

The dinner night, which turned haywire, was attended by several political figures, including the POTUS, Melania Trump, and Vice President JD Vance, among others. Shots were fired during the event, causing immense panic and tension at the scene, followed by the immediate evacuation of the leaders present by Secret Service personnel. The suspect, Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old gunman, was apprehended and has been charged with attempting to assassinate the POTUS.

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Just days before the violent incident at the annual dinner, Kimmel had taken a dig in one of the episodes of his late-night show. In a parody segment depicting the WHCD scene, he made several remarks about Melania Trump, who has been married to Trump since 2005.

What did Jimmy Kimmel say about Melania Trump?

In a scene set up to depict the WHCD, Jimmy Kimmel cracked a joke about Melania Trump. He said, “Our First Lady, Melania, is here,” after which the camera panned toward her to show her expression (a clip from another event). He continued by asking viewers to look at the “beautiful” Melania. He further added, “Mrs. Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow.”

The joke immediately invited backlash, with several users on social media calling it insensitive and violent, especially after the shooting on Saturday, April 25, 2026.

On April 27, 2026, Melania Trump took to her official X account to clap back at late-night show host Jimmy Kimmel for his comments about her. “Kimmel’s hateful and violent rhetoric is intended to divide our country. His monologue about my family isn’t comedy—his words are corrosive and deepen the political sickness within America,” wrote Melania.

She further called Kimmel a “coward” who is protected by ABC and is hiding behind the network’s cover. She concluded by saying, “Enough is enough. It is time for ABC to take a stand. How many times will ABC’s leadership enable Kimmel’s atrocious behaviour at the expense of our community?”

Donald Trump also posted his reaction on Truth Social, addressing the fake video and Kimmel’s remarks about Melania. He wrote, “A day later, a lunatic tried entering the ballroom of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, loaded with a shotgun, handgun, and many knives.” The POTUS demanded that Jimmy Kimmel be fired by Disney and ABC immediately.

Some defended her, while several users criticised Melania’s reaction, calling it hypocritical. Users on X began reposting past comments made by the POTUS on his Truth Social account.

BBC reported that the suspect has been charged with attempting to assassinate Donald Trump. At the time of his arrest, he was reportedly carrying a semi-automatic handgun, a pump-action shotgun, and knives. During the incident, a Secret Service agent was shot and injured. The accused currently faces life in prison if he pleads guilty.

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