Trump Family Demands Jimmy Kimmels Termination Over Late-Night Rants

US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump have been involved in a public dispute with late-night television host Jimmy Kimmel over a joke made during a comedy monologue. The incident occurred on Thursday, when Kimmel said that Melania had “a glow like an expectant widow” during a segment tied to the White House correspondents’ dinner.

The controversy began after Kimmel also mocked the first lady’s documentary, which was not well-received by critics. Trump has since criticized Kimmel, calling his comments “despicable” and stating that they were a “call to violence.” Melania has publicly urged ABC to take action against Kimmel, while Trump has called for him to be removed from his role altogether.

The dispute comes after a shooting incident on Saturday, when an armed man attempted to enter the White House. Some members of Trump’s Republican Party linked Kimmel’s joke to the shooting, claiming that it was a form of hate speech. The White House has also weighed in on the controversy, with spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt stating that Kimmel’s comments were “misconstrued” and not intended as a call to violence.

Kimmel has responded to the criticism, saying that his remarks were taken out of context and were meant as a light roast joke. The incident is part of a longer pattern of tension between Kimmel and the Trumps, who have had a strained relationship for years due to Kimmel’s frequent criticism and mockery of Trump on his show.

ABC has not yet commented on whether it will take action against Kimmel over the controversy.

Source: Al Jazeera