President Donald Trump is now personally weighing in on the growing controversy surrounding late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, using a lengthy social media post Monday to demand that the comedian be taken off the air. While it's not the first time the president has called for Kimmel's job, there are signs suggesting this time is different.
The president’s statement marks a significant escalation in the White House’s ongoing criticism of Kimmel, which intensified following a weekend incident in which a gunman attempted to breach the White House Correspondents Dinner with the apparent goal of targeting Trump and members of his administration.
Kimmel's latest controversy started last week when he put on an alternative WHCD during a bit for Jimmy Kimmel Live!. A punchline suggesting First Lady Melania Trump had the "glow of an expectant widow" has taken on a life of its own after the very real attack over the weekend.
In his post, President Trump blasted Kimmel as “in no way funny” and pointed to the host’s “terrible Television Ratings” before zeroing in on the now-controversial joke about Melania Trump. “Wow, Jimmy Kimmel… made a statement on his Show that is really shocking,” Trump wrote, going on to recount the segment in detail, including the widow line.
“A day later a lunatic tried entering the ballroom of the White House Correspondents Dinner, loaded up with a shotgun, handgun, and many knives. He was there for a very obvious and sinister reason,” the president wrote.
Calling the joke a “despicable call to violence,” Trump concluded with a direct demand aimed at Kimmel’s employers: “Jimmy Kimmel should be immediately fired by Disney and ABC.”
The post adds to a mounting pressure campaign against ABC and its parent company The Walt Disney Company, which has been building since Kimmel delivered the controversial punchline earlier in the week. Criticism first gained traction among conservative influencers and some politicians like Senator Ted Cruz before being amplified by the First Lady and Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
Over the years, Trump has repeatedly called for consequences against the late-night host over political jokes and monologues critical of his administration, often framing Kimmel’s commentary as biased or inappropriate for a broadcast network. Most recently, the president celebrated when ABC sidelined Kimmel for his comments related to Charlie Kirk's assassination.
Still, the current situation carries higher stakes. With a real-world act of violence now part of the narrative, the scrutiny on Kimmel has reached a new level. ABC has yet to publicly respond, but the combination of political outrage, calls for accountability, and the president’s own demand for termination puts the network in a difficult position. Whether that's fair or not is open for debate, especially among free speech advocates. But ABC may decide its not worth staying on the Trump administration's bad side.
Keeping Kimmel off the air Monday night could offer the network a way to defuse tensions while avoiding an immediate decision about his future. And for Kimmel, this latest clash may prove to be one of the most consequential yet. especially when it comes to his job security, at least for this week.
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