According to Deadline, the First Lady Melania Trump and President Donald Trump have called for ABC to take action against Jimmy Kimmel (The Man Show, Crank Yankers) for comments he made in a recent sketch. In a skit that aired last Thursday, Kimmel hosted a mock White House Correspondents’ Dinner, telling an effigy of the First Lady she has the “glow like an expectant widow.”
The First Lady took to her X account to scold the late-night host, saying, “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. 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.”
The skit has drawn ire due to its proximity to the recent alleged assassination attempt by 31-year-old California school teacher, Cole Thomas Allen, at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner that occurred on Saturday. Deadline reports President Donald Trump took to his own social media, Truth Social, to continue his long feud with the late-night host calling for him to be fired:
“Wow, Jimmy Kimmel, who is in no way funny as attested to by his terrible Television Ratings, made a statement on his Show that is really shocking. He showed a fake video of the First Lady, Melania, and our son, Barron, like they were actually sitting in his studio, listening to him speak, which they weren’t, and never would be. He then stated, “Our First Lady, Melania, is here. Look at Melania, so beautiful. Mrs. Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow.” A day later a lunatic tried entering the ballroom of the White House Correspondents Dinner, loaded up with a shotgun, handgun, and many knives. He was there for a very obvious and sinister reason. 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. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also flamed the comedian slash political commentator. She parsed no words as she claimed that, “This kind of rhetoric about the president, the first lady, and his supporters is completely deranged,” she stated. “It’s unbelievable that the American people are consuming it night after night after night.” Her statement seems to play into the President’s attempts to link Kimmel and his rhetoric, along with other Democratic leaders, to inflaming their base to take horrific actions.
Reports alleged the suspect arrived at the hotel via train days ahead of the event. Authorities claim Allen allegedly rushed passed security armed with a shotgun, a hand gun and knives. Shots were allegedly exchanged between Allen and agents before he was wrestled into custody. In an alleged manifesto, the suspect claimed he was aiming for high-ranking officials, but did not name Trump. Allen is facing a life sentence for charges that include attempting to assassinate the President of the United States.
The attempt brought questions around security at the event with such prominent officials in attendance. While the president and other officials are guests, it is not a federal event. The event is organized by the White House Correspondents’ Association.
While this was Trump’s first attendance to the event as president — he broke the long tradition during his first term — he did attend during President Barack Obama’s first term. AP reports Obama jokingly responded to claims about his birth certificate at Trump’s expense. At the time, Trump led questioning about Obama and whether he was an American-born citizen.
Although Kimmel admitted that some of his fans found his joke to be offensive, he has yet, at the time of this story, issued an apology. His employers, Disney and ABC, have also chosen to stay silent on the controversy.
Kimmel and Trump have sparred before, especially in the aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s assassination when Kimmel was temporarily suspended by ABC for comments made on his show.