President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump are calling for ABC to fire Jimmy Kimmel, citing a joke the late-night host made about the First Lady that they say crossed a line.
The controversial remark was taped two days before the White House Correspondents' Dinner, an event that was disrupted when a gunman attempted to force his way into the gala.
The Trumps have publicly demanded that the network remove Kimmel from his position over the material. Their push for his termination marks an escalation in tensions between the administration and mainstream media figures, a dynamic that has defined much of the current political climate.
Kimmel's show, which airs on ABC, has long been a flashpoint for political commentary and celebrity humor directed at the sitting administration. The network has not yet responded to the Trumps' demand for action against the host.
The timing of the joke, coming just before a security incident at one of Washington's most prominent annual events, has added weight to the Trumps' criticism and intensified scrutiny of the late-night comedy landscape.
Author Sarah Mitchell: "Demanding a firing over a joke sets a dangerous precedent, regardless of the joke's taste or the target's position."
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