Melania Trump breaks silence on 'coward' Jimmy Kimmel's 'hateful and violent' skit and calls on ABC to FIRE him

By VICTORIA CHURCHILL, US POLITICAL REPORTER and LAUREN ACTON-TAYLOR, US NEWS REPORTER Published: 15:31, 27 April 2026 | Updated: 15:52, 27 April 2026 First Lady Melania Trump has broken her silence about comedian Jimmy Kimmel's latest major faux pas. 'Kimmel's hateful and violent rhetoric is intended to divide our country. His monologue about my family isn't comedy- his words are corrosive and deepens the political sickness within America,' Melania wrote on X Monday morning. 'People like Kimmel shouldn't have the opportunity to enter our homes each evening to spread hate,' she continued. 'A coward, Kimmel hides behind ABC because he knows the network will keep running cover to protect him. 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,' Melania concluded. Kimmel was slammed for claiming Melania Trump looked like a 'widow' just days before shots were fired at the White House Correspondents' Dinner. Kimmel held a parody of the dinner an annual event honoring journalism and funding scholarships on Thursday when he called Melania an 'expectant widow.' 'Our First Lady, Melania, is here. Look at Melania, so beautiful. Mrs Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow,' Kimmel said before turning his attention the First Lady's birthday. 'You know, Melania's birthday in on Sunday. She's planning to celebrate at home the same way she always does, looking out a window and whispering, 'What have I done?'' US First Lady Melania Trump attends the White House Correspondents' dinner at the Washington Hilton in Washington, DC, on April 25, 2026. President Trump is attending the annual gala of the political press for the first time while in office This handout image released by Disney on September 24, 2025, shows Jimmy Kimmel during the taping of 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' at the Capitan Entertainment Centre on September 23, 2025, in Los Angeles, California US President Donald Trump and First lady Melania Trump participate in the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner in Washington The parody skit came just days before gunfire erupted at the event on Saturday evening in Washington DC, which saw President Trump in attendance in person for the first time while in office. Kimmel's quips during the event parody, however, received backlash online as Larry O'Connor, editor of the conservative outlet Townhall, described the comedian as a 'broken man.' '@disney, you have a problem,' he posted on X. Another user wrote: 'Kimmel is actually worse than the other 'comedians.' You can see the seething hatred on his face toward Trump.' 'It's not even inherently funny. You have to be deranged to laugh at that,' a third user said. One user described Kimmel's skit as 'sick and tasteless,' and asked: 'Is it time for ABC to pull the plug on Jimmy's show?' Political commentator Link Lauren wrote: 'Many in the mainstream media have stoked division and hatred for years. Jimmy Kimmel just made a disgusting 'joke' about Melania Trump becoming a widow. 'After the White House Correspondents' Dinner and what transpired with President Trump, now they suddenly want to act shocked,' he added. Guests barely had chance to tuck into their appetizers before Secret Service agents swarmed the Washington Hilton's ballroom following a series of 'loud noises.' The ballroom, filled with the nation's top journalists, Hollywood celebrities, and Cabinet members including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, became a scene of pure pandemonium. The incident occurred at the same hotel where President Ronald Reagan was shot in 1981 – an eerie historical parallel that was not lost on those in attendance. As Donald Trump and the First Lady were whisked to safety, terrified attendees took cover anywhere they could as they waited anxiously for news. The shooter, identified as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen, had breached the security checkpoint at the event before he was swiftly taken down by law enforcement. Trump, still wearing his tuxedo, addressed the nation just two hours later. 'When you're impactful, they go after you,' he said defiantly. 'They seem to think he was a lone wolf. We're not going to let anybody take over our society.' Cole Tomas Allen, 31, is thought to have been targeting members of the Trump administration when he charged into the ballroom at the White House Correspondents' Dinner on Saturday night. He is pictured after he was tackled to the ground and arrested Harrowing surveillance footage captured the moment gun-wielding shooter Cole Tomas Allen stormed past security at the White House Correspondents' Dinner A secret service agent was shot during the incident, but is expected to recover, as the president continued on to say that the agent 'was shot from a very close distance with a very powerful gun, and the [bulletproof] vest did the job.' 'I just spoke to the officer and he's doing great,' Trump added. The White House has confirmed that the dinner will be rescheduled within 30 days, promising an event that is 'bigger and better.' But for now, Washington remains on high alert as it grapples with yet another attempt on the President's life. The comments below have not been moderated. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. 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