First Lady Melania Trump is calling for ABC to hold Jimmy Kimmel accountable days after the late night host offered up some jokes about her and President Donald Trump in a mock version of a White House Correspondents’ Dinner roast.
“Kimmel’s hateful and violent rhetoric is intended to divide our country,” the First Lady said on social media Monday. “His monologue about my family isn’t comedy- his words are corrosive and deepens the political sickness within America.”
“People like Kimmel shouldn’t have the opportunity to enter our homes each evening to spread hate,” she continued. “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.”
The First Lady did not reference that Kimmel’s jokes were meant in the spirit of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, which historically has had a comedian who lampoons the President of the United States host the festivities. That tradition also includes presidents delivering self-deprecating remarks. Until Saturday, as president, Donald Trump has boycotted every WHCD.
According to Fox News, Kimmel on Thursday night had said, “Our First Lady, Melania, is here. Look at Melania, so beautiful. Mrs. Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow.”
During Saturday’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner, a heavily-armed gunman trying to rush the event “sprinted through a security checkpoint,” The New York Times reported, but was apprehended by Secret Service before he was able to enter the event space.
The Times also published some of the jokes Kimmel delivered Thursday night in a parody that he had called an “all-American” version of the D.C. dinner:
“By the way, in the unfortunate event that our president has a medical emergency tonight, do we have a doctor in the house — oh, I’m sorry. I mean, do we have a Jesus in the house? I always confuse them, too.”
“I get why you think you’re Jesus. This guy, every time he walks into a room, people say, ‘Christ, he’s back.’”
Both jokes appeared to reference posts the president had made seemingly depicting himself as Jesus.
Other jokes by Kimmel the Times published included:
“Oh, by the way, before we go any further: Melania, this is Donald. Donald, this is Melania. That was my impression of Jeffrey Epstein.”
“As the president will tell you repeatedly until you beg him to stop, President Trump has accomplished so much during his second term. He passed new incentives for oil and gas. He put the brakes on solar and wind. That will be your legacy, sir, breaking wind and passing gas.”