Kimmel Defends Joke After Trump Calls for ABC Firing
Jimmy Kimmel said his April 24 joke was not a call to violence after criticism from the President and First Lady and demands he be fired.
Lauren Collins ·
Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel defended a joke aired on his program after the President and First Lady publicly condemned it and urged ABC and Disney to remove him from the network.
The dispute unfolded in the days following an assassination attempt linked to events around the White House Correspondents' Association dinner on Saturday, April 26, 2026, intensifying scrutiny of political rhetoric and televised comedy.
Kimmel’s April 24 monologue and his April 28 clarification
The joke at the center of the controversy aired on Thursday, April 24, 2026. In the segment, Kimmel described the First Lady as having a “glow like an expectant widow.”
On Monday, April 28, 2026, Kimmel addressed the backlash and said the remark was “obviously a joke about their age difference.” He also stated it was not intended as a call for assassination.
President and First Lady condemn the joke on social media
The President criticized Kimmel in a post on Truth Social, while the First Lady responded on X. Both characterized the line as a “despicable call to violence.”
They called on Disney and ABC to fire Kimmel and said he should not “spread hate.” The demands included renewed calls for his removal from the network.
Charges filed after the attempt and Kimmel’s response
The controversy came days before Cole Tomas Allen, 31, was charged with attempting to assassinate the President, along with firearm offenses.
Kimmel said he regretted the trauma caused by the shooting. At the same time, he maintained that he has a right to free speech.
Earlier dispute and a prior suspension at ABC
Officials did not indicate that this was the first time the President had pushed for Kimmel’s ouster. The source material notes that the President had previously called for Kimmel to be removed.
ABC briefly suspended Kimmel’s program in September after comments he made about the political motivations behind a separate incident, according to the account provided.
It remains unclear whether Disney or ABC will take any action in response to the latest calls, and no decision was described in the information provided.