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Late night host Jimmy Kimmel renewed his mockery of President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump on Wednesday, joking about their relationship following criticism for a “widow-in-waiting” joke last week.
Kimmel opened his monologue by suggesting that his joke had an unintended effect on the couple’s relationship. He said: “Our first couple, Donald and Melania, seem closer than ever. “And I like to think I played a part in that.”
Commenting on recent photos of the Trumps at a White House state dinner for King Charles III and Queen Camilla, Kimmel pointed to what he described as a poor interaction between the couple.
“When I think about the week I had with the first couple, I’m just going to say that that’s a normal way to communicate with two people who love each other very much,” Kimmel said. “Maybe that’s why her hands are all bruised, Melania is swallowing them.”
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Melania Trump’s top adviser, Marc Beckman, said Kimmel should be fired. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images, Randy Holmes/Disney via Getty Images)
These comments follow the controversy that arose from Kimmel’s show on April 23, when he hosted another White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner after the Trump administration chose not to include the comedian in the annual event.
During that segment, Kimmel commented on the first woman who struggled.
“Look at Melania, she’s so beautiful,” Kimmel said. “Mrs. Trump, you have the glow of a pregnant widow.”
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ABC late night host Jimmy Kimmel remained defiant Monday night, insisting that his now dangerous “widow-in-waiting” joke about President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump was appropriate for their age. (Randy Holmes/Disney via Getty Images)
A few days later, a shooting at the Washington Hilton interrupted the actual dinner. Authorities have identified the suspect as Cole Allen, a 31-year-old from Torrance, California, who has been charged with attempted assassination of the president and state weapons violations. Officials said the cause is still under investigation.
Afterward, both the president and the first lady publicly criticized Kimmel.
“He should be fired immediately by Disney and ABC,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Melania Trump also released a statement criticizing the late-night host.
“People like Kimmel should not have the opportunity to come into our homes every evening to spread hate,” she said.
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President Trump has renewed his calls for Kimmel to be fired following the first lady’s “expected widow” joke. (Randy Holmes/Disney via Getty Images; Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
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Kimmel addressed the controversy earlier in the week, dismissing allegations that his comments incited violence.
“It was not, by any stretch of the definition, a call to kill,” Kimmel said. “I’ve been very vocal for years against gun violence.”
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The controversy also coincided with a broader rift between the Trump administration and ABC’s parent company, Disney. The Federal Communications Commission recently moved to speed up review periods for broadcast licenses held by Disney, a move that executives said is related to ongoing reviews of the company’s various policies, equity, and inclusion.
