President Donald Trump called for Jimmy Kimmel to be fired on Monday following a joke he made about Melania Trump, which also drew a strong rebuke from the first lady earlier in the day.

“Wow, Jimmy Kimmel, who is in no way funny as attested to by his terrible Television Ratings, made a statement on his Show that is really shocking,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding:

He showed a fake video of the First Lady, Melania, and our son, Barron, like they were actually sitting in his studio, listening to him speak, which they weren’t, and never would be. He then stated, “Our First Lady, Melania, is here. Look at Melania, so beautiful. Mrs. Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow.” 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. I appreciate that so many people are incensed by Kimmel’s despicable call to violence, and normally would not be responsive to anything that he said but, this is something far beyond the pale. Jimmy Kimmel should be immediately fired by Disney and ABC. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP

Kimmel sparked outrage on the right with a joke he made during a Thursday night parody skit of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, which ended Saturday night after a gunman stormed the event with the goal of killing Trump administration officials.

Kimmel joked, “Our First Lady Melania is here. Look at her, so beautiful. Mrs. Trump, you have a glow like an expected widow.”

Just hours before Trump’s call for Kimmel to be terminated, Melania Trump posted to X, writing, “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.” She added:

People like Kimmel shouldn’t have the opportunity to enter our homes each evening to spread hate.

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.

Kimmel previously sparked controversy with a joke about the assassination of Charlie Kirk, which resulted in a suspension from ABC.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

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