The First Lady of America, Melania Trump, has berated late-night show host Jimmy Kimmel for calling her an “expectant widow,” days before a shooter invaded and disrupted the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

Mrs Trump, who was evacuated alongside her husband, President Donald Trump, from the event venue on Saturday, lashed out at the comedian for pushing hateful and violent rhetoric on his show.

“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,” Mrs Trump wrote on X on Monday.

The American first lady urged ABC, the platform airing Mr Kimmel’s show, to take action against the comedian, whom she described as a coward.

“People like Kimmel shouldn’t have the opportunity to enter our homes each evening to spread hate. A coward, Kimmel hides behind ABC because he knows the network will keep running cover to protect him.

“Enough is enough. It is time for ABC to take a stand. How many times will ABC’s leadership enable Kimmel’s atrocious behavior at the expense of our community?,” Mrs Trump said.

The first lady’s outburst comes days after Thursday’s show, in which Mr Kimmel called her an expectant widow, aired.

“Our First Lady, Melania, is here. Look at Melania, so beautiful. Mrs Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow,” Mr Kimmel said.

Barely two days after Mr Kimmel’s joke, a gunman identified as Tomas Allen fired shots and disrupted the 2026 White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington, D.C.

Mr Kimmel’s show was suspended last September after he made comments about the shooting of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk.