Jimmy Kimmel is in trouble again, months after getting suspended. His job was in jeopardy in September 2025 after an ill-advised joke about Charlie Kirk’s murder. Now he’s under fire for making a joke about President Trump’s death days before a gunman opened fire at an event he was attending. However, all signs point to ABC standing behind the late-night show host, at least for now. Keep reading for the latest on the evolving situation.
Jimmy Kimmel Under Fire For ‘Widow’ Joke
President Trump attended the White House Correspondents’ Dinner for the first time over the weekend. He previously skipped the event. Jimmy Kimmel was among the talk show hosts who opted not to go this year. Instead, he hosted a parody of the event on Jimmy Kimmel Live! days before the actual event. The comedian made a joke during the segment about First Lady Melania Trump looking like an “expectant widow.”
The joke received newfound attention after a shooting at the real White House Correspondents’ dinner. Both President Trump and his wife publicly called for ABC to fire Jimmy Kimmel for the joke. Jimmy Kimmel and the current administration have feuded for years.
FCC Involved
Jimmy Kimmel was suspended for several days in September 2025 after outrage at his comments on Charlie Kirk’s murder. After pressure from local stations, ABC yanked Jimmy Kimmel Live! from the air. The suspension didn’t last long and definitely didn’t scare the host away from taking aim at President Trump.
However, there were lasting consequences from the suspension. The FCC put talk show hosts like The View and Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show under a microscope. First, the FCC cracked down on rules requiring equal time for political candidates from all parties.
Now, they’ve filed paperwork to possibly revoke ABC’s broadcasting license. The FCC is looking at whether to renew the licenses of ABC stations across the country, despite the stations not coming up for renewal for several more years.
ABC Standing Behind Talk Show Host In Latest Trump Feud
President Trump’s calls for Jimmy Kimmel’s job have fallen on deaf ears at ABC, at least so far. The network has yet to respond to anything related to the situation. Jimmy Kimmel hasn’t been suspended. His talk show continues to air as scheduled.
CNN’s Brian Stelter believes ABC’s lack of action is a sure sign the network is 100% behind Jimmy Kimmel in his latest feud with President Trump. “My indication, you know, Disney is being tight-lipped about this, so on the record, nobody there is saying anything about Kimmel. But my sense, talking with sources, making calls overnight, is that Disney is absolutely standing by Kimmel,” the CNN anchor said on Tuesday.
Brian Stelter added, “Frankly, John, Kimmel has all the power this time.” The journalist pointed out that Jimmy Kimmel’s 2025 suspension was caused by the owners of news stations Sinclair and Nexstar pressuring ABC. However, the CNN anchor said the station owners are staying out of it this time.
Of course, things can change quickly. Tell us in the comments if you think Jimmy Kimmel should be fired.
Jennifer Havener grew up in a small town in Upstate New York. She earned her B.A in Writing & Literature from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. She always knew watching reality TV shows and soap operas, particularly ‘Days of Our Lives’, would come in handy someday. When she’s not writing, she’s playing with her dogs, Lola and Ruger
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