Melania Trump urges ABC to act over Jimmy Kimmel monologue

Washington: US First Lady Melania Trump said on Monday that ABC should act against late-night host Jimmy Kimmel following remarks he made in a parody monologue aired before a shooting at a Washington hotel over the weekend.

In a post on X, Melania Trump wrote "Enough is enough. It is time for ABC to take a stand. How many times will ABC’s leadership enable Kimmel’s atrocious behaviour at the expense of our community?"

Her comments came after Kimmel, during a spoof of the White House Correspondents Dinner broadcast last week ahead of the actual event, said "Mrs. Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow".

President Donald Trump and the first lady were escorted out of the White House Correspondents Dinner on Saturday after gunfire erupted in the lobby of the Washington Hilton. A suspect identified as Cole Allen ran through a checkpoint and opened fire at Secret Service agents, injuring one officer before being overpowered and taken into custody.

Disney and ABC did not immediately comment on Melania Trump’s statement.

Previous pressure on Kimmel and ABC

The latest criticism follows earlier controversy involving Kimmel and ABC. In September, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, Brendan Carr, pressed broadcasters to remove Kimmel from the air. ABC briefly suspended Kimmel’s programme that month over remarks he made about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Hours before that suspension, Carr said local broadcasters carrying Kimmel’s show could face penalties or even lose their licences, and said "it's time for them to step up".

His remarks drew criticism from figures in the entertainment industry as well as politicians from both major parties. Republican Senator Ted Cruz was among those who objected, comparing Carr’s warning to the conduct of an organised crime boss.

Also in September, Sinclair and Nexstar Media Group temporarily stopped airing Kimmel’s show on their 70 ABC-affiliated stations, which reach nearly a quarter of US households. Carr wants to make it easier for local broadcasters to preempt nationally distributed programming.

The dispute has again placed Kimmel and ABC at the centre of a broader debate over speech, broadcasting standards and the limits of political satire, as criticism from Trump allies intensified after the weekend security incident in Washington.