Jimmy Kimmel Escalates Melania Trump Feud With New First Lady Jab

Jimmy Kimmel took another jab at first lady Melania Trump on his late-night show. This public spat began after she criticized him for a joke he made before the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

On Monday, May 4, Kimmel used his monologue on Jimmy Kimmel Live! to poke fun at a photo President Donald Trump shared, showing Melania Trump smiling, according to People. Kimmel remarked that the president had posted a “very unusual photo” of the first lady and joked about how rarely the public sees her smile.

These remarks followed days of backlash from the president, the first lady, and White House officials regarding Kimmel’s earlier joke about Melania Trump.

Earlier, he had joked that the first lady had the “glow of an expectant widow” during a skit related to the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. The joke faced stronger criticism after a shooting attempt at the event days later.

Melania Trump issued a rare public statement, calling Kimmel’s humor “hateful and violent,” according to People. She labeled the comedian a “coward” after the joke gained attention following the security incident.

Kimmel didn’t hold back on Monday. He made more jokes about the first lady and her marriage to Trump while discussing the president’s social media posts and public appearances, People reported.

He also joked about Melania Trump’s reaction to the president’s dancing, suggesting that his moves might explain her displeasure at public events.

This exchange has become one of Kimmel’s most visible conflicts with the Trump family since the president took office again.

Trump has called for ABC to fire Kimmel, while White House communications director Steven Cheung also criticized the host and demanded action against him, according to People.

Kimmel has defended the original joke as satire, asserting it was not about violence.

The Guardian reported Kimmel pointed out that the joke was made before the White House Correspondents’ Dinner incident and focused on the couple’s public relationship, not the later attack.

The host also expressed sympathy for those impacted by the incident while rejecting claims that his comments urged violence, The Guardian reported. He said critics were misrepresenting the timing and intent of the joke.

The backlash has spread beyond the first lady’s statement. People reported Trump called Kimmel a “lowlife” during an appearance on Newsmax. The outlet noted that the Federal Communications Commission has started a review of ABC’s licenses over possible legal and regulatory matters.

Kimmel has long used his ABC show to criticize Trump, often zeroing in on the president’s public statements, legal troubles, and social media activity.

His latest comments kept Melania Trump at the forefront of the conflict, likely ensuring that the argument will continue as the White House targets the comedian and his network.

The feud also follows previous tension between Kimmel and ABC. The Guardian reported Kimmel faced a temporary suspension in 2025 after another controversy involving Trump-related remarks, sparking a debate over political pressure, broadcast standards, and late-night satire.

Melania Trump has maintained a lower public profile than the president, but her criticism of Kimmel marked a direct response from her to a late-night host.

Kimmel’s latest monologue indicated he has no plans to tone down his attacks, even as the White House keeps pressuring ABC over his comments.