Jimmy Kimmel defended the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in a monologue Monday night, calling it “very shallow.”
the comedian said on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” Viewers told how they were woken up by Melania Trump’s “statement that she was fired from her job” over a joke about the first lady having “the glow of a pregnant widow”.
Kimmel, 58, sarcastically claimed it was “obviously a joke” about Melania and Trump’s “age difference and the look of joy on her face every time we’re together.”
The Emmy winner pointed out that Melania Trump, 56, is “younger” than him, while Donald, 79, is “almost 80.”
In a more serious tone, he added, “It was never an assassination call, and they know I’ve been particularly vocal against gun violence over the years. But I understand that the first lady had a stressful weekend, and it’s probably stressful every weekend in that house.”
“I also agree that hate and violence are something we should reject,” Kimmel continued. “I think it would be a good idea to talk to your husband to resolve the issue.”
After defending her right to free speech, Kimmel addressed Melania directly.
“I’m sorry that you and the president and everyone in that room on Saturday had that experience,” he continued about this weekend’s events. “That’s true.”
Kimmel said, “Just because no one was killed doesn’t mean it wasn’t traumatic and scary. And we should come together and do better. We really should.”
The late-night host pointed out that his joke about WHCD was made before suspected shooter Cole Thomas Allen opened fire at the Washington Hilton.
Before Allen was arrested, a police officer wearing a bulletproof vest was shot and killed, and the 31-year-old California teacher was later charged with attempting to assassinate the president.
“Enough is enough,” Melania Trump tweeted afterward, writing, “It’s time for ABC to take a stand. How many times will their leadership enable Kimmel’s brutal acts at the expense of our community?”
Donald, via Truth Social, declared that Kimmel “should be fired immediately by Disney and ABC.”
But on Monday, Kimmel said, “If you want people to believe that the joke I told three days before this dinner had any effect on what happened, you might want to look into this psychic woman as well.”
They also showed footage of press secretary Caroline Leavitt mocking Donald’s speech and claiming there would be “some shots fired in the room.”
Kimmel called the scandal “déjà vu,” referring to his show being canceled in September 2025 over comments about Charlie Kirk’s death.
Three months after his shocking suspension, ABC offered Kimmel a one-year contract extension.
He joked in December 2025 that it would run until May 2027 “or until the end of the world, whichever comes first.”
