First lady Melania Trump publicly criticized late-night host Jimmy Kimmel on Monday (April 27), calling his recent joke about her at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner (WHCD) “hateful and violent” and urging ABC to take action against him. Her comments came just days after a shooting incident at the same event, which she attended alongside President Donald Trump.

During the opening monologue on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the late night host joked that Melania Trump had “a glow like an expectant widow.” The skit, presented as if Kimmel were hosting the WHCD, aired only two days before a gunman stormed the actual dinner at the Washington Hilton Hotel, prompting the evacuation of the president, first lady, Vice President JD Vance, and other officials.

The gunman was taken into custody and is facing multiple charges, including attempting to assassinate President Trump.

In a statement posted on X, Melania Trump said, "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 deepens the political sickness within America. People like Kimmel shouldn’t have the opportunity to enter our homes each evening to spread hate."

The First Lady then went on to call for the network to take action against the late night host.

"A coward, Kimmel hides behind ABC because he knows the network will keep running cover to protect him. Enough is enough. It is time for ABC to take a stand. How many times will ABC’s leadership enable Kimmel’s atrocious behavior at the expense of our community."

President Trump echoed his wife’s criticism, calling Kimmel’s joke a “despicable call to violence” and demanding that Disney and ABC fire the comedian. “Jimmy Kimmel should be immediately fired by Disney and ABC,” the president wrote in a Truth Social post on Monday.

"I appreciate that so many people are incensed by Kimmel’s despicable call to violence, and normally would not be responsive to anything that he said but, this is something far beyond the pale. Jimmy Kimmel should be immediately fired by Disney and ABC."

Kimmel’s show has previously faced temporary suspension after controversial jokes, and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is reportedly considering new measures regarding broadcaster conduct.

Gregg Stone