The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has ordered an early license review of eight television stations owned by ABC. The network is owned by The Walt Disney Company.
The move raises the possibility that the FCC could seek to revoke the stations’ licenses to use public broadcast airwaves.
The controversy began after a monologue by late-night host , whose show airs on ABC. In a satirical segment ahead of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, Kimmel joked that First Lady had “a glow like an expectant widow.”
During his monologue, Kimmel referred to the First Lady, saying: “Our first lady, Melania, is here. Look at Melania, so beautiful. Mrs. Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow.”
The remark were aired days before the . However, the situation took a dramatic turn after an led to President Donald Trump and the First Lady being rushed from the dinner.
White House calls for action
On Monday (April 27), the and , marking a significant escalation in tensions between the administration and the media.
Trump demands Kimmel’s termination from ABC
in a Truth Social post that was later shared by official White House channels.
“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,” Trump wrote.
“Jimmy Kimmel should be immediately fired by Disney and ABC.”
Melania Trump slams Kimmel
Earlier, , accusing him of fuelling division.
“Kimmel’s hateful and violent rhetoric is intended to divide our country,” she wrote.
“His monologue about my family isn’t comedy — his words are corrosive and deepens the political sickness within America.”
She also called on broadcasters to take action: “A coward, Kimmel hides 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. How many times will ABC’s leadership enable Kimmel’s atrocious behavior at the expense of our community.”
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung sharply criticized the comedian, accusing him of “making a disgusting joke about assassinating the President” and “doubling down on that joke instead of doing the decent thing by apologizing,” in a post on X.
Kimmel responds on air
Addressing the controversy during his Monday night monologue, : “It was obviously a joke about their age difference.”
He rejected interpretations that the comment referenced violence: “It was not by any stretch of the definition a call for assassination.”
Kimmel noted that Trump is set to turn 80 in June, while Melania Trump recently turned 56, framing the joke as commentary on their age gap rather than anything more sinister.
