Jimmy Kimmel Fires Back After Donald Trump and Wife Melania Demand ABC Axe Late-Night Legend

Jimmy Kimmel isn’t backing down.

After President Donald Trump and Melania Trump publicly called for ABC to fire the late-night host over a controversial joke, Kimmel responded on-air with a blunt defense, turning the backlash into his latest monologue target.

The controversy stems from a line Kimmel delivered during a mock White House Correspondents’ Dinner-style segment, where he joked about the first lady, saying, “Mrs. Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow.”

The remark quickly went viral, drawing outrage from Trump allies and prompting a rare public rebuke from Melania Trump herself.

Melania Trump condemned the comment in a post on X, writing, “His monologue about my family isn’t comedy- his words are corrosive and deepens the political sickness within America.” She added that “People like Kimmel shouldn’t have the opportunity to enter our homes each evening to spread hate,” and urged ABC to “take a stand” by removing him.

President Trump echoed that sentiment, calling the joke a “despicable call to violence” and demanding Kimmel be “immediately fired by Disney and ABC.”

The backlash intensified following a shooting incident at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, though there were no casualties and no evidence linking the event to Kimmel’s remarks.

Kimmel used his April 27 show to push back directly, rejecting the idea that his joke incited violence.

“It was not by any stretch of the definition a call to assassination,” Kimmel said. “And they know that. I’ve been very vocal for many years speaking out against gun violence, in particular.”

He went on to say “it was a pretend roast.”

Kimmel also addressed Melania Trump directly: “I agree that hateful and violent rhetoric is something we should reject. I do. And I think a great place to start to dial that back would be to have a conversation with your husband about it.”

According to CNN, Trump’s Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is preparing to challenge ABC’s station licenses, potentially triggering a broader legal battle with Disney. The possibility is widely seen as an escalation tied to the Kimmel dispute, even as officials suggest it relates to other regulatory issues.

Kimmel emphasized free speech protections.

“Trump is allowed to say whatever he wants to say, as are you and as am I and as are all of us, because under the First Amendment we have as Americans the right to free speech,” he said.

This isn’t Kimmel’s first clash with Trump. The host previously faced backlash that led to a brief removal from air, only to return with stronger ratings.

“You almost have to feel sorry for him,” Kimmel said of Trump at the time. “He tried his best to cancel me, instead he forced millions of people to watch the show. That backfired bigly.”