Overview
- Kimmel kept the jokes going on his show this week, calling Melania Trump a "buzzkill," teasing a rare smiling photo of her, and riffing that the president might need "mittens" after a photo showed heavy makeup on his hand.
- His latest monologues followed public demands from Melania Trump and President Trump that ABC fire him, with White House communications director Steven Cheung urging his removal "immediately."
- Regulatory heat has risen as the Federal Communications Commission fast-tracked a review of ABC/Disney station licenses, saying it is probing possible violations at local ABC outlets.
- The clash escalated after Kimmel’s late‑April "expectant widow" line about Melania and a separate security breach at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, after which Cole Tomas Allen was charged with attempting to assassinate the president.
- Kimmel has defended the joke as an age‑gap gag and said he was sorry for the scare at the dinner, while free‑speech advocates warn that using license reviews to punish content could invite First Amendment challenges.