Jimmy Kimmel is facing fans’ brutal backlash over his new controversial remarks.
During the last Thursday, April 24 episode of his late-night talk show, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the host delivered a controversial joke in a parody segment on the then-upcoming White House correspondents’ dinner, saying that Melania Trump “had a glow like an expectant widow.”
Just three days later on Saturday, April 26, a gunman opened fire at the White House Correspondents’ dinner in Washington DC.
The statement did not spark much reactions until Monday, when both Melania and Donald Trump publicly urged ABC to fire the host and cancel his show for inciting assassination.
Later that day, Kimmel, during the latest episode of his show, addressed the Presidential Couple’s demand, and instead of expressing regret and apologizing, defended his joke, sparking massive outrage among fans.
“You know how sometimes you wake up in the morning and the first lady puts out a statement demanding you be fired from your job? We’ve all been there, right?” he said.
Explaining that his joke was misinterpreted, the host regarded it as “a very light roast joke about the fact that he’s almost 80 and she’s younger than I am.”
“It was not — by any stretch of the definition — a call to assassination. And they know that,” the 58-year-old TV host added.
Fans’ reactions:
On Instagram, one of the fans expressed fury, writing, “Whatever Trump may be like, that doesn't give you the right to incite the assassination of a democratically elected president.”
“Kimmel will NEVER take any accountability for his actions. NEVER,” slammed another.
“Give your wife a chance to get that expectant widow glow grubby Kimmel… don’t deprive her and all of us of the joy,” a third blasted.
One more criticized, "Jimmy Kimmel is the most vile, untalented talk show host in the history of Late Night Comedians. He relies on his political ridicule to amuse his "audience". He's a washed up has been host that should of been canceled long ago. His ratings more than prove my point."
Jimmy Kimmel past controversy with Trump:
It is worth mentioning that this is not the first time Jimmy Kimmel has taken aim at the Trumps as in September 2025, he made a controversial statement regarding the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
At the time, Trump had urged ABC to cancel his show, prompting the channel to temporarily suspend it.
