US FIRST LADY Melania Trump has called on American broadcaster ABC to “take a stand” against late-night TV host Jimmy Kimmel.

“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 deepens the political sickness within America.” she said in a post on X.

Two days before the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner in Washington last Saturday – where a gunman opened fire – Kimmel said the first lady had “the glow of an expectant widow”.

US president Donald Trump was evacuated from the annual dinner after shots were fired by a gunman armed with “multiple weapons”.

Kimmel made his comments in a fake White House Correspondents’ Dinner speech during his show Jimmy Kimmel Live! last Thursday.

Now, the first lady has called the TV host a “coward”.

Jimmy Kimmel delivered a fake White House Correspondents Dinner speech, saying "Mrs. Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow." pic.twitter.com/o4a59eYnZl

— Libby Emmons (@libbyemmons) April 26, 2026

“People like Kimmel shouldn’t have the opportunity to enter our homes each evening to spread hate,” she said.

“A coward, Kimmel hides behind ABC because he knows the network will keep running cover to protect him.”

“Enough is enough”, she said, adding that “it is time for ABC to take a stand”.

“How many times will ABC’s leadership enable Kimmel’s atrocious behaviour at the expense of our community,” she said.

Last September Kimmel’s show was suspended after the US government threatened to cancel broadcasting licences because of comments the host made about the killing of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk and Trump’s response to it.

The show returned to air later the same month.