Melania Trump blasts Kimmel, calls on ABC to ‘take stand’ against comedian

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‘Kimmel should be immediately fired,’ Donald Trump says amid backlash over joke likening first lady to expectant widow.

President Donald Trump has joined his wife Melania Trump in calling on the ABC TV network to take action against comedian Jimmy Kimmel for jokes targeting her as the debate over free speech, polarising rhetoric and political violence grows louder in the United States.

Melania Trump on Monday accused the host of Jimmy Kimmel Live! of deepening “the political sickness within America” with his comedy, two days after gunfire erupted outside the White House correspondents dinner, which Trump and her husband attended.

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“People like Kimmel shouldn’t have the opportunity to enter our homes each evening to spread hate. A coward, Kimmel hides behind ABC because he knows the network will keep running cover to protect him,” the first lady wrote on X.

“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.”

For his part, President Trump called for sacking the comedian. “Jimmy Kimmel should be immediately fired by Disney and ABC,” Trump wrote in a social media post, mentioning ABC’s parent company.

It is highly unusual for the president and his wife to call on a TV network to deplatform a comedian. The First Amendment of the US Constitution bans the government from censoring speech.

The shooting late on Saturday happened when a gunman tried to enter the hall where the Trumps and top officials were in attendance. Afterwards, a video of Kimmel poking fun at Melania Trump sparked outrage from some members of the president’s Republican Party.

At an “alternative” White House correspondents dinner on his show on Thursday, Kimmel said: “Our first lady, Melania, is here. Look at Melania, so beautiful. Mrs Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow.”

While the joke played on the perception that the first lady often appears unhappy in public, Trump’s supporters linked the line to the shooting.

President Trump described it as a “despicable call to violence”.

Kimmel also mocked the first lady’s documentary, Melania, which faltered at the box office and was not well-received by critics.

“I want to congratulate you, madam first lady, on your huge accomplishment – the world’s first motionless picture,” Kimmel said.

Last year, ABC suspended Kimmel after the Trump administration threatened to take action against the network over commentary by the comedian suggesting that the killer of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk may have been a Republican.

“We can do this the easy way or the hard way,” Brendan Carr, head of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), said at that time.

“These companies can find ways to change conduct to take action on Kimmel or, you know, there’s going to be additional work for the FCC ahead,” he said.

After a backlash from free speech advocates, ABC reinstated Kimmel less than a week later.

The White House hit out at Kimmel on Monday, echoing the Trumps’ criticism.

“Just two days prior to the shooting, ABC’s late night host Jimmy Kimmel disgustingly called first lady Melania Trump, an expectant widow who, in their right minds, says a wife would be glowing over the potential murder of her beloved husband,” White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told reporters.

Leavitt blamed what she called “deranged lies and smears against the president” for political violence targeting Trump.

For years, Republicans have decried any regulations on speech, particularly around the COVID-19 pandemic, and condemned “cancel culture”, efforts to deplatform or sack people over their political views.

But since returning to the White House in January last year, Trump has led an effort to punish criticism of Israel with a campaign of deportation against noncitizens – including legal permanent residents – who have been involved in Palestinian rights advocacy.

The shooting on Saturday was the third apparent assassination attempt against President Trump since 2024. It sparked calls to soften political language to address the motives behind political violence.

But Trump himself has a long history of harsh rhetoric. Last week, the president shared a post calling for the assassination of Iranian officials who are rejecting a deal with Washington.

Earlier this month, he threatened to destroy Iranian “civilisation”.