Jimmy Kimmel Defends ‘Expectant Widow’ Joke After Donald and Melania Trump Demand ABC Fire Him: ‘It Was Not By Any Stretch of the Definition a Call to Assassination. And They Know That’

Apr 27, 2026 8:57pm PT Jimmy Kimmel Defends ‘Expectant Widow’ Joke After Donald and Melania Trump Demand ABC Fire Him: ‘It Was Not By Any Stretch of the Definition a Call to Assassination. And They Know That’

By Zack Sharf, Jack Dunn

Jimmy Kimmel is responding to calls from Donald and Melania Trump for him to be fired by Disney and ABC. The President and the First Lady of the United States posted separate statements on social media condemning Kimmel for a joke he made at Melania’s expense on the Thursday, April 23 episode of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” which featured a mock White House Correspondents Dinner hosted by Kimmel. The host quipped during the sketch that Melania had the glow of an “expectant widow,” which ignited outrage among Trump and his MAGA base a few days later when the real White House Correspondents Dinner on April 25 came to an abrupt end due to a shooter.

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