Jimmy Kimmel has responded to what he called a “light roast” aimed at President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump, after Trump publicly demanded the late-night host be fired over the remark.
Kimmel’s joke landed only days before the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday (April 25) was thrown into chaos, when a suspected shooter — later identified as Cole Tomas Allen — pushed past security while attempting to breach the event.
Trump, Melania, and Vice President JD Vance were among those rushed out as the situation unfolded. Allen was later charged with one count of attempt to assassinate the President of the United States, transportation of a firearm & ammunition in interstate commerce with intent to commit a felony, and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence.
Two days prior to the attempted attack, Kimmel made headlines after referring to Melania as an “expectant widow” during his monologue.
On his Jimmy Kimmel Live! episode on Thursday, he said: “Our First Lady, Melania, is here. Look at Melania, so beautiful. Mrs Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow.”
The comment drew an immediate reaction from Trump, who posted on Truth Social: “[T]his is something far beyond the pale. Jimmy Kimmel should be immediately fired by Disney and ABC.”
Melania also condemned Kimmel’s remarks on X, arguing that ‘ people like Kimmel shouldn’t have the opportunity to enter our homes each evening to spread hate’.
She went on to add: “His monologue about my family isn’t comedy – his words are corrosive and deepens the political sickness within America…,” and continued: “How many times will ABC’s leadership enable Kimmel’s atrocious behavior at the expense of our community.”
Following the backlash, Kimmel addressed the controversy during his show last night (April 27).
He insisted the jab had been misunderstood, describing it as a ‘very light roast joke about the fact that he’s [President Trump] almost 80 and she’s younger than I am’.
Kimmel continued: “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.
“I agree that hateful and violent rhetoric is something we should reject, I think a great place to start to dial that back is having a conversation with your husband about it.”
This isn’t the first public clash between Kimmel and Trump. The two have traded blows before, including a prior moment when Kimmel was taken off air after comments connected to the shooting of Charlie Kirk. At the time, Trump celebrated the development online, posting: “Great News for America: The ratings challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is CANCELLED.”