Jimmy Kimmel stands by his joke about Melania Trump being a ‘widow,’ dismissing the criticism from the White House

Kimmel stands by his “expectant widow” joke about Melania, describing it as a light roast, while the White House urges ABC to respond.

Jimmy Kimmel has dismissed the White House’s criticism regarding a joke about First Lady Melania Trump, asserting that it was not meant to incite violence.

The controversy revolves around a skit that aired on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, where Kimmel described Melania Trump as having “a glow like an expectant widow” in a parody of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

The First Lady characterized the comment as “hateful and violent” and called on ABC to take measures against the comedian.

Donald Trump additionally urged for Kimmel’s removal, stating that the joke constituted a “call to violence” and insisting that ABC and Disney take him off the air.

In his initial monologue after a security incident at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, Kimmel stood by the segment.

“It was a light-hearted roast joke about the fact that he’s nearly 80 and she’s younger than I am,” he said.

He stated that the comment was misunderstood and did not promote harm.

“It was certainly not, by any means, a call to assassination, and they are aware of that,” he stated.

Kimmel expressed his longstanding opposition to political violence and advocated for a decrease in hostility within public discourse.

Melania Trump, in a post on X, stated that comedians should be barred from entering American homes if their content promotes what she referred to as harmful rhetoric.

The conflict has heightened scrutiny on ABC, with increasing political and public attention focused on how broadcasters manage contentious comedy material, particularly in light of recent comments from public figures like Melania Trump regarding the impact of comedians on societal discourse.