Jimmy Kimmel's Future Revealed by ABC Bosses After Latest Fall Out with Donald Trump Over 'Widow' Joke — As Insiders Reveal his 'Three-Word Response' to Melania's Sacking Calls
Jimmy Kimmel's future on ABC has been revealed in the wake of his latest fall out with Donald Trump.
April 29 2026, Updated 8:32 a.m. ET
Jimmy Kimmel is not in danger of losing his job despite calls from both Donald Trump and wife Melania for him to be fired over his latest controversy.
RadarOnline.com can reveal ABC are "sticking by" the Late Night host amid the backlash over his "expectant widow" gag aimed at the First Lady.
'No Plans' To Fire Kimmel
Kimmel delivered the crude Melania Trump widow joke on the April 23 episode of his late night show.
An insider told PageSix the network "don’t plan to suspend him, fire him or cancel the show," adding, "It’s back to taping per usual. They’re moving on."
Kimmel, 58, made the viral quip during Thursday's show in an "alternative" White House Correspondents' Dinner, which poked fun at the annual event having a mentalist take part instead of a comedian.
"You have a glow like an expectant widow," Kimmel said. "You know, Melania’s birthday is on Sunday. She’s planning to celebrate at home the way she always does — looking out a window and whispering, 'What have I done?'"
Two days later, a gunman opened fire at the Washington Hilton where the dinner was taking place .
Trumps Demand Kimmel's Sacking
Both Donald Trump and First Lady Melania called for Kimmel to be fired.
The first lady, 56, blasted Kimmel via X, tweeting: "Kimmel’s hateful and violent rhetoric is intended to divide our country. His monologue about my family isn’t comedy — his words are corrosive and deepen the political sickness within America."
She continued: "Enough is enough. It is time for ABC to take a stand. People like Kimmel shouldn’t have the opportunity to enter our homes each evening to spread hate."
President Trump, 79, agreed that Kimmel should be fired "immediately," dubbing his joke "shocking" and "far beyond the pale."
Kimmel addressed the backlash during Monday night’s monologue, insisting he had only been making an "obvious" joke about the couple's age gap.
'These People Are So Thin-Skinned'
Kimmel has his team are finding the outrage from the White House over his gag amusing.
"It was not by any stretch a call to assassination," he said. "I agree hateful and violent is something we should reject. … A great place to start to dial that back would be to have a conversation with your husband."
He went on to address Melania directly, acknowledging how "traumatic and scary" the shooting must have been.
According to insiders, Kimmel was confident his latest tow with the Trumps would not lead to a dismissal.
A source close to Kimmel, who earns a reported $15 million a year, told the Daily Mail his attitude was very much: "We don't care."
In fact, Kimmel and his team were having a "good laugh" about the complaints from the White House, according to the source, who said that "these people are so thin-skinned."
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Network bosses are well aware Trump can't take a joke, claims insiders.
They added: "These people can dish it out and they can't take it at all — they're the real snowflakes."
The source added network bosses are well aware how Trump’s reaction to jokes at his expense are ironic, given he regularly mocks people.
An insider added: "They can do whatever they want and say whatever they want, but when something is clearly a joke, they want it censored by the network.'
"Trump says the most unhinged s--t about everyone, but the minute a joke is at his expense, he and his family lose their s--t," they added. "Anyone who has worked in late night for a long time knows that everyone gets it.'"
