President Donald Trump is once again targeting late-night television, urging Disney-owned ABC to remove comedian Jimmy Kimmel from the air following remarks about First Lady Melania Trump that sparked intense backlash from the White House and supporters of the president.
The controversy erupted after Kimmel referred to Melania Trump as an “expectant widow” during a comedy sketch aired days before an alleged assassination attempt connected to the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. The comment quickly ignited criticism from the president and first lady, who said the joke crossed the line from comedy into dangerous rhetoric.
Melania Trump condemned the remarks in a message posted on social media, calling them “hateful and violent rhetoric” designed to divide Americans. President Trump echoed the criticism, stating that the joke amounted to a call to violence and was far beyond acceptable limits for a national broadcast network.
Kimmel addressed the growing backlash during his next monologue, insisting the comment was meant as a joke referencing the age difference between the president and first lady. He rejected the claim that it encouraged violence, telling viewers the remark was “not, by any stretch of the definition, a call to assassination.”
The response from the administration remained sharp. White House Communications Director Steven Cheung said Kimmel should be “shunned” for defending the joke rather than apologizing for it.
The dispute places renewed pressure on ABC and its parent company Disney, which recently installed Josh D’Amaro as its chief executive officer. The media giant has already faced political scrutiny during Trump’s presidency, and the latest controversy adds to a series of high-profile confrontations between the administration and major broadcast networks.
Kimmel’s show has previously faced fallout from controversial remarks. Last September, the program was temporarily suspended after station owners threatened to disrupt its broadcast following comments about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Concerns raised by federal regulators at the time sparked a broader debate about broadcast standards and the responsibility of national networks to ensure acceptable content.
After that incident, the show returned to the air within days, and Kimmel issued an apology during his first episode back.
Meanwhile, federal regulators are reportedly preparing to review Disney’s broadcast licenses earlier than expected, according to a report citing sources familiar with the matter. The timing of the review was described as unrelated to the Kimmel controversy, though it arrives as the network again finds itself under political scrutiny.
Disney has not publicly responded to the latest calls from the president and first lady to remove Kimmel from the air.
The clash underscores the increasingly tense relationship between the Trump administration and major media companies, particularly late-night programs that frequently feature political commentary. The ongoing standoff leaves ABC and its new leadership navigating a difficult balance between creative freedom, corporate interests, and growing political pressure.
