LOS ANGELES, CA — Seven months after Jimmy Kimmel found himself in the Trump administration's crosshairs, President Donald Trump on Monday called on ABC to fire the late night host once again.
The latest “Jimmy Kimmel Live” joke aired Thursday night, where the host pretended to deliver a comedy routine at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner. In the segment, Kimmel described First Lady Melania Trump as having “the glow of an expectant widow," an apparent reference to the 79-year-old president's health and the couple's 24-year age gap.
Two nights after the segment aired, the real-life correspondents' dinner was cut short when a man armed with guns and knives tried to enter the venue where the Trumps and other leaders were gathered. The suspect, a California teacher, is accused of trying to assassinate President Trump.
The first lady on Monday morning described Kimmel's comments as "hateful and violent rhetoric" in a post on X.
"People like Kimmel shouldn’t have the opportunity to enter our homes each evening to spread hate," she wrote. "Enough is enough. It is time for ABC to take a stand."
The president mirrored his wife's comments a few hours later in his own social media post, seemingly suggesting that the suspect answered a "call to violence" put out by Kimmel.
"Jimmy Kimmel should be immediately fired by Disney and ABC," Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The Committee for the First Amendment, a free speech advocacy group led by actor Jane Fonda, was among those that criticized the Trump administration's response.
“In America, satire is not a crime. The right to mock, to challenge, and yes, to offend those in power, is foundational to democracy. From late-night television to political cartoons, comedy has long served as a powerful tool to expose hypocrisy, provoke debate, and drive accountability,” the organization said Monday, NBC News reported.
“This is a test — of ABC, of the press, and of our collective commitment to the First Amendment. The pressure is real. The intent is unmistakable. But we have been here before, and we know what is required from all of us. Speak up. Push back. Do not capitulate. Do not be silent,” the statement continues.
The incident comes after a similar one in September, when Kimmel joked about President Donald Trump's reaction to the shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
In response, Trump and his Federal Communications Commission chair suggested federal regulators should revoke broadcast licenses over late-night hosts who speak negatively about him.
Two of the biggest corporate owners of ABC affiliate stations said they would pull the show from their stations; subsequently ABC pulled the plug on "Jimmy Kimmel Live."
There was major backlash and Disney, the owner of ABC, announced the show would go back into production less than a week later.
Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.
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