Joked the late-night host, “Maybe that’s why his hands are all bruised — from Melania swatting them away.”

Jimmy Kimmel says Donald and Melania Trump are ‘closer than ever’ thanks to controversial ‘expectant widow’ joke

Joked the late-night host, "Maybe that's why his hands are all bruised — from Melania swatting them away."

By Shania Russell

Shania Russell

Shania Russell is a news writer at *, *with five years of experience. Her work has previously appeared in SlashFilm and Paste Magazine.

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April 30, 2026 11:45 a.m. ET

Jimmy Kimmel; Donald Trump and Melania Trump. Credit:

Randy Holmes/Disney via Getty; Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty

- Jimmy Kimmel says Donald Trump and Melania Trump are "closer than ever" thanks to him.

- The late-night host joked that his recent "expectant widow" quip about them has strengthened their marriage.

- Kimmel poked fun at the couple by showing footage of their awkward interaction at a dinner with King Charles.

Jimmy Kimmel has found the silver lining in his longtime feud with the White House: his positive impact on Donald Trump's marriage.

Doubling down on his latest public spat with the couple, Kimmel kicked off his Wednesday night monologue by arguing that ever since he quipped about Melania Trump being an "expectant widow," the president and first lady have been more connected.

"Our first couple, Donald and Melania… have seemed closer than ever," Kimmel remarked during the show, "and I like to think I played a part in that."

After laughter from the audience, Kimmel directed viewers' attention to a video of the Trumps entering a Wednesday dinner thrown to celebrate King Charles and Queen Camilla's recent visit to America. The clip shows Donald and Melania as a united front as they walk in, hand in hand.

But soon after, when Charles and Camilla join them for a brief photo op, Melania appears to drop Trump's hand, leading to a strange silent interaction.

Amplifying the awkwardness, the late show zoomed in on the couple's hands, tracking them as they parted. The president then tapped Melania with his pinkie, and, after a pause, he rejoined their hands.

Queen Camilla, King Charles III, President Donald Trump, and first lady Melania Trump on April 28, 2026.

Samir Hussein/WireImage

"Considering the week I've had with the first couple, I'm just going to say that is a completely normal way to interact for two people who are very much in love,” Kimmel said.

Then, unable to help himself, he quipped, "Maybe that's why his hands are all bruised — from Melania swatting them away."

Earlier this week, Kimmel came under fire for jokes he made during his April 23 broadcast, on which he staged an "alternative" White House Correspondents' Dinner in response to the Trump administration breaking with tradition by not hiring a comedian to roast the president at the annual event.

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Taking on the sacred duty for himself, Kimmel performed a mock roast. At one point during the segment, he said of the first lady, "Look at Melania, so beautiful. Mrs. Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow."

Some critics thought the joke went a little too far— largely because two days later the actual White House Correspondents' dinner was interrupted when an alleged gunman opened fire at the Washington Hilton, where the event was being held. Suspect Cole Allen allegedly rushed through a security checkpoint with multiple weapons and fired several gunshots. On Monday, Allen was charged with attempting to assassinate the president and two federal gun charges, PEOPLE reported.

In the days following, the president and first lady blasted the late-night host in separate social media posts, accusing him of inciting violence with the quip. On TruthSocial, Trump called for Kimmel to be "immediately fired by Disney and ABC," while Melania echoed his sentiments on X, writing, "People like Kimmel shouldn't have the opportunity to enter our homes each evening to spread hate."

Jimmy Kimmel on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!".

Disney/Randy Holmes

Various Trump supporters and members of his administration have also condemned Kimmel, but, as demonstrated in his latest monologue, the late-night host is letting the criticism roll right off his back. During Monday's episode of *Jimmy Kimmel Live, *he expressed gratitude that "no one was hurt" at the Correspondents' Dinner before offering an explanation for his controversial remark.

Kimmel stated that the jab "obviously was a joke about their age difference and the look of joy we see on her face every time they're together," adding, "It was not by any stretch of the definition a call to assassination, and they know that I've been very vocal for many years speaking out against gun violence in particular."

In the days since, the Trump administration has increased pressure on ABC's parent company by ordering Disney to submit early renewals of its owned and operated stations. The licenses were originally scheduled to be renewed between 2028 and 2031.

The filing indicated that the move was part of the agency's recent investigation into Disney's DEI practices, which the Trump administration has condemned, but skeptics have pointed out that the severe action also comes on the heels of Kimmel inciting the president's outrage.

Watch Kimmel once again joke about the Trumps' marriage in the clip above.

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