President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump are calling for ABC to immediately fire late-night host Jimmy Kimmel after he made a disturbing joke describing the First Lady as having “the glow of an expectant widow” during his show last week.

Widow Joke Sparks Presidential Fury

During his Thursday broadcast of “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” the comedian performed a mock routine pretending to deliver comedy at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner. While addressing a fake audience with video clips edited to show the Trumps and other officials, Kimmel directed his widow comment at Melania Trump. The actual correspondents’ dinner two nights later was cut short when an armed man attempted to enter the Washington ballroom where the president and political leadership had gathered.

President Trump responded Monday on Truth Social, calling Kimmel’s remarks a “despicable call to violence” that goes “far beyond the pale.” He demanded ABC and parent company Walt Disney immediately terminate the host. Melania Trump issued her own statement condemning what she called “hateful and violent rhetoric” designed to divide Americans. She accused Kimmel of hiding behind ABC’s protection, calling him a coward who knows the network will continue covering for him.

Long-Running Feud Escalates

This marks the second time Trump has pushed for Kimmel’s dismissal. Last fall, ABC suspended the comedian and several network affiliates pulled his show after he made comments about assassinated conservative leader Charlie Kirk. Those moves came after encouragement from Trump’s FCC chairman Brendan Carr. ABC later reinstated Kimmel to his late-night slot despite the controversy. The network has not issued any public comment regarding the latest demands for termination.

What This Means

The confrontation highlights ongoing tensions between the Trump administration and Hollywood entertainment figures who regularly criticize the president. Kimmel has built much of his comedic routine around targeting Trump, doubling down after facing consequences last year. With both the president and First Lady now publicly demanding action, ABC faces renewed pressure to address whether entertainment programming crosses acceptable boundaries when discussing political figures and their families. The incident raises questions about broadcast standards and the limits of political comedy in an increasingly divided media landscape.