Trump vs Jimmy Kimmel: President urges ABC to take action after Melania joke

United States (U.S.) President Donald Trump has called on ABC Network to fire Jimmy Kimmel for jokingly describing the First Lady Melania Trump as “expectant widow.”

The joke delivered days before the White House Correspondents Dinner (WHCD) shooting incident has now become the center of attention as the Trump administration has launched a campaign against the comedian.

Kimmel made the joke last Thursday, while hosting a mock WHCD on his show. Looking out at his audience, he turned his attention to the First Lady. "Our first lady is here," he said. "Mrs. Trump… you have a glow like an expectant widow."

Following the shooting incident, the joke turned into a serious political and media controversy. At first, Melania called Kimmel out for his “political sickness.”

Then, President Trump followed with a Truth Social post, calling on Disney and ABC to fire Kimmel immediately and describing his joke as "a despicable call to violence."

Trump wrote, “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.”

Kimmel and ABC have not responded publicly to the calls for his dismissal.