Democratic FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez warned against using the recent shooting at the White House Correspondents' Dinner as a pretext for censorship, after President Donald Trump again called for ABC to fire Jimmy Kimmel over a joke. Gomez stated on X, 'My thoughts are with the Secret Service officer injured... we cannot allow this tragedy to become a pretext for silencing speech, even speech we find objectionable.'
First Lady Melania Trump also urged ABC to 'take a stand' against Kimmel. The joke in question, made during Kimmel's alternative monologue on Thursday, included the line: 'Mrs. Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow.' The comment drew renewed attention after Saturday's shooting at the dinner, where Trump and officials were rushed off the dais.
Jane Fonda's committee issued a statement criticising the Trumps' demands, saying they 'follow the same old, tired, authoritarian playbook: use the weight of government to pressure media outlets to silence speech it disfavors.' The committee added, 'In America, satire is not a crime... The right to mock, to challenge, and yes, to offend those in power, is foundational to democracy.'
This is not the first time Trump has targeted Kimmel. In September, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, a Trump appointee, criticised Kimmel's comments about the assassination of Charlie Kirk, warning broadcasters that 'we can do this the easy way or the hard way.' Hours later, ABC sidelined Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and two major station groups preempted it.
Critics have pointed out the hypocrisy, noting Trump's own history of making vile comments about deceased public figures. One commenter wrote, 'Trump’s comments about Director Rob Reiner being killed by his son was a 1000x worse that Kimmel’s joke.' Another stated, 'The only person who deserves to be fired is him, for ruining our country.'
