Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel is under fire after a controversial “widow” joke about Melania Trump prompted President Donald Trump to call for his firing, escalating a public feud.
Kimmel’s ‘Widow’ Joke Sparks Backlash
During Monday’s episode of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”, the comedian referenced the controversy, saying, “You know, sometimes you wake up in the morning, and the first lady puts out the statement demanding you be fired from your job? We’ve all been there, right?”
He also defended his original joke, which described Melania Trump as having “a glow like an expectant widow,” saying it was meant to reference the couple’s age difference.
Melania Trump condemned the joke in a post on X, calling it “hateful and violent rhetoric” and saying Kimmel “shouldn’t have the opportunity to enter our homes each evening to spread hate.”
She also urged ABC to “take a stand” against his “atrocious behavior.”
President Trump echoed the criticism on Truth Social, writing that Kimmel should be “immediately fired by Disney and ABC,” describing the comments as “really shocking.”
Kimmel defended himself on air, saying the joke referred to the couple’s age difference and rejecting claims it incited harm.
“Hateful and violent rhetoric is something we should reject,” he said, noting his past criticism of gun violence.
President Trump and Kimmel did not immediately respond to Benzinga’s request for comments.
White House Dinner Shooting
On Saturday, Authorities identified the suspect in the White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen of California, described as a game developer and part-time teacher with engineering and computer science degrees.
Officials said he opened fire with a shotgun at the Washington Hilton, injuring a Secret Service agent whose vest prevented a fatality. No motive had been determined.
Following the incident, Trump said political violence was not new, remained calm during the scare, and praised the Secret Service response.
He described the attacker as “radicalized,” warned that Democratic rhetoric is “very dangerous,” and said such events should continue despite the attack.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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