Jimmy Kimmel responded to both Melania and Donald Trump ranting that he should be fired by ABC over a light roast joke he made on his late night show three days before The White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
First Lady had accused the comedian of ‘hateful and violent rhetoric’ in regard to a joke Kimmel says was about the first couple’s 24 year age difference.
He then goes on to address hateful and violent rhetoric in the political realm.
Here’s the full text of his statement:
“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?
“It was a pretend roast. I said, “Our first lady, Melania’s here. Look at her, so beautiful. Mrs. Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow” – which obviously was a joke about their age difference and the look of joy we see on her face every time they’re together.
“It was 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. I’ve been very vocal for many years speaking out against gun violence, in particular.
“But I understand that the first lady had a stressful experience over the weekend – and probably every weekend – is pretty stressful in that house. And also, I agree that hateful and violent rhetoric is something we should reject.
“I do. And I think a great place to start to dial that back would be to have a conversation with your husband about it, because… by the way, I also should point out Donald Trump is allowed to say whatever he wants to say, as you are you, as am I, as are all of us, because under the First Amendment we have, as Americans, a right to free speech.
“But with that said, I am sorry that you and the president and everyone in that room on Saturday went through that. I really am. Just because no one got killed doesn’t mean it wasn’t traumatic. It’s scary. And we should come together and be best. We really should.”
Kimmel has been a target for the thin-skinned Donald for quite some time. Last September, his show was briefly pulled from the air after he made a joke following the death of Charlie Kirk.
And while we’re on the subject of perpetuating “heated rhetoric,” let’s take a stroll down memory lane, shall we?
“Enemy from within.” “Communists, Marxists, fascists, radical left thugs, vermin.” “Garbage” Somalis, “low IQ people.” “She’s an evil, sick, crazy, b…”
Republicans want the left to tone down the rhetoric. Erm, have they listened to Donald Trump??
Zeteo put together a montage: pic.twitter.com/QMMKZgMTg0
— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) April 28, 2026
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