Trump administration demands ABC fire Jimmy Kimmel over 'expectant widow' joke amid shooting incident
Consensus Summary
Multiple news outlets report that Donald and Melania Trump demanded ABC and Disney fire late-night host Jimmy Kimmel after he joked on April 24, 2026, that Melania Trump had 'a glow like an expectant widow' during a mock White House Correspondents' Dinner segment. The Trumps linked the joke to a shooting incident at the actual dinner on April 27, 2026, calling it 'hateful and violent rhetoric.' Kimmel defended the remark as a 'light roast' about the age gap between the Trumps. In response, the Trump-appointed FCC chair Brendan Carr ordered early license reviews of eight ABC stations, which free speech advocates condemned as an unconstitutional attack. Disney stated it would fight the reviews legally, while critics argue the company has historically caved to Trump’s demands. The controversy reignites debates over free speech, self-censorship in media, and the Trump administration’s use of regulatory pressure to target critics. Kimmel’s past suspension in 2025 over similar jokes underscores the broader pattern of political interference in broadcast media.
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Jimmy Kimmel made a joke on *Jimmy Kimmel Live!* on April 24, 2026, calling Melania Trump an 'expectant widow' during a mock White House Correspondents' Dinner segment.
- Donald Trump and Melania Trump publicly demanded ABC and Disney fire Jimmy Kimmel after the joke, citing it as 'hateful and violent rhetoric' and a 'call to violence'.
- The White House Correspondents' Association dinner was disrupted by a shooting incident on April 27, 2026, leading to the Trumps' demands for Kimmel's firing.
- The FCC, under Trump-appointed chair Brendan Carr, ordered early license reviews of eight ABC stations on April 29, 2026, citing 'unlawful discrimination' claims.
- Kimmel responded to the criticism by calling the joke a 'light roast' about the age gap between Donald and Melania Trump (he is 56, she is 56, Trump turns 80 in June 2026).
- Melania Trump posted on X (formerly Twitter) on April 27, 2026, accusing Kimmel of 'corrosive' rhetoric and calling for ABC to 'take a stand'.
- Donald Trump posted on Truth Social on April 27, 2026, calling Kimmel's joke 'despicable' and demanding his immediate firing.
- The suspect in the White House Correspondents' dinner shooting, Cole Tomas Allen, was charged on April 28, 2026, with attempting to assassinate the president.
- Kimmel was briefly suspended by ABC in September 2025 after FCC chair Brendan Carr pressured the network over jokes about Trump.
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Columnist Margaret Sullivan argues Disney must stand tall to protect free speech, citing past instances where Disney settled lawsuits brought by Trump, setting a 'bad precedent'.
- FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez called Carr’s license reviews 'the most egregious action this FCC has taken in violation of the First Amendment to date'.
- Disney’s statement on the license reviews was described as 'not exactly a ringing defense of the First Amendment' but indicated they would fight legally.
- The piece references CBS canceling Stephen Colbert’s show after he criticized Disney for settling a lawsuit involving Trump.
- Jessica Gonzalez of Free Press called Carr’s actions an 'extraordinary and unconstitutional attack on the media'.
- White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt called Kimmel’s joke 'dark' and said Melania Trump was 'anything but' an 'expectant widow' during the shooting incident.
- Donald Trump described the dinner shooting as a 'rather traumatic experience' for Melania Trump in a CBS 60 Minutes interview.
- The article notes Trump has repeatedly urged broadcasters to drop programs critical of him, including pressuring the FCC to revoke licenses.
- The FCC’s license review order was framed as affecting Disney and its television subsidiaries, not just ABC.
- White House communications director Steven Cheung called Kimmel a 'shit human' for 'doubling down' on the joke instead of apologizing.
- The article highlights that Kimmel’s suspension in September 2025 followed FCC pressure over jokes about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Where the reporting differs
Details that conflict, or appear in only some outlets:
- The Guardian and ABC describe the FCC’s license reviews as targeting 'unlawful discrimination' related to diversity rules, while the Guardian’s columnist Margaret Sullivan frames it as a 'disingenuous' pretext for political pressure.
- The Guardian’s Sullivan argues Disney’s past settlement with Trump over George Stephanopoulos’ remarks was a 'buckling to Trump,' while ABC’s article does not explicitly criticize Disney’s legal strategy.
- The SMH and ABC state Kimmel’s joke was made on April 24, 2026, but the Guardian’s first article does not specify the exact date of the joke, only that it was 'before the Saturday attack.'
- The Guardian’s Sullivan implies Disney’s response to the license reviews is weak, while ABC’s article presents Disney’s statement as a 'legal defense' without criticism.
Source Articles
Melania Trump accuses Jimmy Kimmel of ‘hateful and violent rhetoric’
First lady calls for ABC to ‘take a stand’ against comedian in aftermath of White House press dinner shooting In the aftermath of the White House correspondents’ dinner shooting, Melania Trump accused Jimmy Kimmel of “hateful and violent rhetoric” and said it was “time for ABC to take a stand” against the comedian who has long been critical of Donald Trump and his policies. The first lady appeared to be referring to a monologue by Kimmel broadcast that happened before the Saturday attack on the
Jimmy Kimmel’s quip about Melania Trump is protected speech, and Disney must stand tall | Margaret Sullivan
Americans don’t want the government to decide what TV comics can and can’t say A few days before the alleged assassination attempt on Donald Trump last weekend , one comic’s joke on his late-night show sounded routine enough, if a little edgy. Taking a jab at the hefty age gap between Donald and Melania Trump , ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel – playing the role of guest comic at a mock White House correspondents’ dinner – described the first lady as having “a glow like an expectant widow”. Continue reading..
‘Not a call to assassination’: Kimmel defends Melania gag after Trumps demand his firing
The late-night host made a remark comparing the first lady to an “expectant widow” in a skit broadcast days before the shooting incident at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner.
US regulator orders review of TV licence after Trump criticises Kimmel
It comes after both Donald and Melania Trump demanded the network cancel Kimmel's late-night comedy show over a joke they described as a call to violence, days before an alleged attempt to assassinate the US president.
Donald and Melania Trump slam Jimmy Kimmel for 'widow' joke
Donald Trump says Jimmy Kimmel should be fired for a monologue he delivered days before the third alleged attempt to assassinate the US president.
More Politics stories
Australia’s largest gun buyback scheme after Bondi terror attack
Australia introduces gambling ad opt-out register and reforms amid political debate
Labor’s $5,000 cap on veterans’ allied health services sparks outrage
Victorian teachers accept pay deal after strikes, ending dispute
One Nation candidate Parminder Singh's homophobic comments spark party backlash
Productivity Commission criticizes WA GST deal as costly and unfair, calling for reversal
Latest cross-verified stories
Sydney Swans players linked to sexual assault allegations and club sanctions
Australia vs Bangladesh Test series in 2026, featuring historic upsets and batting struggles
Ukraine targets Wildberries warehouses and Russian infrastructure with drone strikes amid escalating war
Meta trial over social media addiction in children begins in California
Prince Harry and others ordered to pay legal costs to Daily Mail publisher after losing privacy lawsuit
Mass bird deaths linked to H5 bird flu in Australia’s southern states
Browse all stories from April 2026 in the archive.