Donald Trump just can’t quit Jimmy Kimmel. It’s the feud that refuses to die, and frankly, it’s getting a bit predictable. On Monday, April 27, 2026, the former president once again took to Truth Social to demand that Disney and ABC fire their late-night star. This time, the spark was a joke Kimmel cracked about Melania Trump, which the Trump camp is spinning as a "call to violence."
The timing is admittedly messy. Just days after Kimmel’s monologue, a gunman tried to enter the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. Trump is trying to draw a straight line between a comedian’s punchline and a literal assassination attempt. It’s a bold move, but if you’ve watched this play out over the last decade, you know it’s mostly noise.
The expectant widow joke that started the fire
Kimmel’s latest sin involved a bit where he pretended to host the White House Correspondents' Dinner since the real event opted for a mentalist instead of a stand-up. During the bit, he quipped that the First Lady had a "glow like an expectant widow."
It was a classic Kimmel jab at Trump’s age, but the context changed overnight when a real security threat emerged at the actual dinner. Trump immediately pivoted, calling the joke "despicable" and pressuring new Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro to pull the plug on Kimmel’s career. Melania Trump even joined in, posting on X that people like Kimmel shouldn’t be "entering our homes each evening."
Why Disney won't budge this time
If you think Disney is about to cave, you haven’t been paying attention to the numbers or the history. This isn't the first time Trump has called for Kimmel's head. Back in September 2025, ABC actually did suspend the show for a week after a similar firestorm involving comments about Charlie Kirk. The result? Total chaos.
Disney got hit from both sides. They looked weak to the left for "capitulating" to political pressure, while the right wasn't satisfied because Kimmel was back on air six days later. Josh D’Amaro, who’s only been in the CEO seat for six weeks, is likely looking at that 2025 mess and thinking, "Never again."
- Ratings are up: Kimmel was the only network late-night host to grow his audience in 2025, up 14% among total viewers.
- Ad Revenue: Advertisers love the consistency of Kimmel’s 18–49 demographic, which stayed steady while rivals like Fallon saw dips.
- Contractual Safety: Kimmel is a veteran who knows how to navigate these waters. He's survived "jail time" jokes and Oscars spats. He isn't some rookie you can just dump.
The Oscars factor and the long game
We can't talk about this feud without mentioning the 2024 Oscars. Remember when Trump posted a scathing review of Kimmel’s hosting mid-show? Kimmel read it live to millions of people and asked, "Isn’t it past your jail time?" That moment cemented Kimmel as the de facto leader of the late-night resistance.
Trump views Kimmel as a personal antagonist, not just a comedian. By demanding he be fired, Trump keeps his base fired up about "liberal media bias." But for Disney, Kimmel is a business asset. Unless the advertisers start jumping ship—which they aren't—Kimmel is probably safer than he’s ever been.
What happens next for late night
Kimmel isn't backing down. On his Monday night show following the firing demand, he didn't apologize. Instead, he leaned in, swapping his scheduled guest for Jon Lovett, a move that signals zero intention of playing nice with the administration.
If you're waiting for a corporate apology, don't hold your breath. Disney is a massive machine, and while they hate the headache, they hate losing 1.7 million nightly viewers even more. The "boycott Disney" hashtags will trend for a few days, the Truth Social posts will continue, and Kimmel will keep showing up at 11:35 PM.
Watch the ratings over the next week. If history is any guide, Trump’s call for a boycott will actually give Kimmel a "Trump Bump." People tune in just to see how he’ll respond. In the weird, symbiotic world of political feuds, Trump and Kimmel actually need each other. One provides the grievance, the other provides the punchline.
If you want to support your favorite host, the best thing you can do is watch the live broadcast. Clicks and views are the only currency that Disney cares about in this fight. Forget the social media noise and focus on the data.
