Melania Trump wants ABC to 'take a stand' against Jimmy Kimmel after 'hateful' joke

NPR reports that First Lady Melania Trump called on ABC to 'take a stand' against Jimmy Kimmel after he delivered jokes during a sketch on his late-night show, which she characterized as 'corrosive' and 'hateful.' The joke reportedly occurred two days before the White House Correspondents' Dinner; independent coverage from Fox News, TMZ, CBS News, and others indicates Kimmel's remarks referenced Melania as an 'expectant widow' and that Trump called his rhetoric 'hateful and violent' intended to divide the country. The NPR article itself contains limited detail in the provided metadata—the description offers context about timing but no verbatim joke or Trump statement—though corroborating outlets provide slightly more specificity about the nature of the jokes and Trump's language characterizing Kimmel as a 'coward.' While NPR's bylined reporting and institutional credibility are strong, the shallow metadata excerpt limits assessment of sourcing depth; readers cannot determine from this excerpt whether direct quotes from Melania or her representatives are included or if reporting relies on secondary accounts. Monitor whether ABC responds formally to Trump's call for action and whether additional context about the Correspondents' Dinner incident emerges.