Could Jimmy Kimmel‘s show end soon? Months after Jimmy Kimmel Live! was briefly pulled from the air over a controversial joke involving Charlie Kirk, the late-night host is once again under fire — this time from Donald Trump and Melania Trump. After cracking a joke about Melania, both the president and First Lady publicly called on ABC, Jimmy’s parent network, to take action, with Donald even suggesting the comedian should be fired.
On April 30, 2026, Donald doubled down in a post on Truth Social, writing, “When is ABC Fake News Network firing seriously unfunny Jimmy Kimmel, who incompetently presides over one of the Lowest Rated shows on Television? People are angry. It better be soon!!!”
One month later, Jimmy addressed the speculation about his show’s future during an interview with Vulture.
“I don’t know what ABC is going to want to do,” he admitted. “It’s an unusual position to be in, but I do still have a year left on my contract, and that’s what I agreed to.”
Here’s what we know so far about Jimmy’s future at ABC and why Melania is calling for the network to “take a stand.”
What Did Jimmy Kimmel Say About Melania Trump?
During a taping of his late-night show on April 23, 2026, Jimmy cracked a joke about Melania and her husband in a mock version of the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner. He described her as having a “glow like an expectant widow,” then quipped about Donald’s depiction of himself as Jesus Christ.
“Our first lady is here. Mrs. Trump … you have a glow like an expectant widow,” Jimmy said. “By the way, in the unfortunate event that our president has a medical emergency tonight, do we have a doctor in the house — oh, I’m sorry. I mean, do we have a Jesus in the house? I always confuse them, too.”
What Did Melania Trump Say About Jimmy Kimmel?
Four days later, Melania took to X to blast Jimmy as a “coward.” Her response also came two days after the April 25, 2026, White House Correspondents’ Dinner, where suspected gunman Cole Allen opened fire.
“Kimmel’s hateful and violent rhetoric is intended to divide our country,” Melania tweeted. “His monologue about my family isn’t comedy – his words are corrosive and deepens the political sickness within America.”
Going on to write that others like Jimmy “shouldn’t have the opportunity to enter our homes each evening to spread hate,” the first lady accused the comedian of hiding “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,” Melania continued. “How many times will ABC’s leadership enable Kimmel’s atrocious behavior at the expense of our community?”
Is Jimmy Kimmel Getting Canceled by ABC?
No, Jimmy has not been taken off the air again, nor has his show been canceled. ABC has not publicly commented on Melania’s remarks about Jimmy.
Shortly after Melania spoke her piece about Jimmy, Donald took to Truth Social, calling for the comedian to be “immediately fired by Disney and ABC.”
“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,” the Republican president began in his message. “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.”
That evening, on April 27, Kimmel responded to the Trumps’ comments by defending his original joke. “It was a very light roast joke about the fact that he’s almost 80 and she’s younger than I am,” he said.
On April 28, the FCC ordered Disney’s ABC stations to apply for early renewal of their broadcast licenses by May 28, while citing an investigation into its DEI practices.
