AceShowbiz - Once again, tensions have flared between the Trump family and late-night host Jimmy Kimmel following a controversial segment related to the White House Correspondents' Dinner (WHCD).

This year’s WHCD notably did not feature a comedian, but instead a mentalist performed. Despite the absence of a traditional comedic monologue at the event, Jimmy Kimmel aired his own imagined version of the WHCD monologue on his April 23 show. The segment included a variety of jokes, including one targeting First Lady Melania Trump. Kimmel began by praising her beauty but quickly undercut it with a biting line, saying, “Mrs. Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow.” The joke drew mixed reactions, with some laughing and others groaning.

Unbeknownst to viewers at the time, the real WHCD event held two days later was overshadowed by a shooting that interrupted the evening’s proceedings.

Following the actual WHCD, Fox News published an article about Kimmel’s “widow” joke, noting that it aired “shortly” before the shooting occurred. The timing—48 hours prior—prompted discussion on the appropriateness and sensitivity of the joke in hindsight. It appears that both the President and the First Lady were unaware of the joke at the time, as their focus remained on the mentalist’s performance during the dinner.

On Monday, April 27, Melania Trump took to X (formerly Twitter) to condemn Kimmel for the monologue segment. She called him a “coward” hiding behind the ABC network and expressed that “people like Kimmel shouldn't have the opportunity to enter our homes each evening.” She demanded that ABC take decisive action, writing, “Enough is enough. It is time for ABC to take a stand. How many times will ABC’s leadership enable Kimmel’s atrocious behavior at the expense of our community?” Her definition of “community” appears to refer specifically to the White House or their inner circle.

Shortly after Melania Trump’s post, Donald Trump also addressed the issue on Truth Social. He reiterated the call for Kimmel to be fired, explaining the joke as a fake video portraying the First Lady and their son, Barron, as if they were actually in Kimmel’s studio listening to him. According to the former president, this was misleading and offensive. Trump added that many people were outraged by what he called Kimmel’s “despicable call to violence,” emphasizing that this incident crossed a line even for those who typically might not react strongly to Kimmel.

This confrontation is not new. In September 2025, ABC temporarily pulled Jimmy Kimmel Live! off the air for nearly a week following conservative backlash over comments Kimmel made about the death of Charlie Kirk. At that time, Donald Trump had also called for Kimmel to be fired, especially after the announcement that Stephen Colbert would be ending his Late Night tenure. However, ABC has not taken any steps to terminate Kimmel, whose contract runs through May 2027.

Kimmel himself previously stated he would leave the show if Trump did, suggesting a stalemate between the two remains in place.

This article has been updated to include Donald Trump’s recent statements regarding the incident.