Trump LOSES IT as Kimmel gets LAST LAUGH

Attorneys Brian Kabateck and Shant Karnikian break down the latest clash between the Trump administration and the First Amendment — this time over a joke. Jimmy Kimmel aired a fake White House Correspondents' Dinner roast in which he joked that Melania Trump had "a glow like an expectant widow" — an obvious crack about the 24-year age gap between her and Donald Trump. Melania demanded Kimmel be fired. Trump followed hours later on Truth Social, calling it a "despicable call to violence" and demanding Disney and ABC terminate him immediately. FCC Chair Brendan Carr previously threatened ABC affiliates over Kimmel's commentary, telling a podcaster "we can do this the easy way or the hard way." ABC had already suspended Kimmel once last fall under similar pressure. Kimmel's response: "It obviously was a joke about their age difference" and "not by any stretch of the definition a call to assassination. And they know that." Brian researched how dictators throughout history have handled comedians — from Saddam Hussein putting a hit on a satirist to Putin imprisoning a standup comic for five years to North Korea's 11-day ban on laughter during mourning periods. Brian and Shant walk through why satire is among the most protected forms of speech under the First Amendment, noting that the Supreme Court has given even broader leeway to satirical commentary about public figures than standard speech. Every president gets roasted. Only wannabe dictators try to criminalize it.

Kabateck LLPCall 184474CIVIL for a free case evaluation or visit us at

Become a member of Legal AF YouTube community

Become a member of the Legal AF Substack

Follow Legal AF on Bluesky

Follow Michael Popok on Bluesky

Subscribe to the Legal AF podcast feed here

Subscribe to the Intersection with Michael Popok podcast feed here

Subscribe to Unprecedented with Michael Popok and Dina Doll podcast feed here

Subscribe to Court of History with Sidney Blumenthal and Sean Wilentz podcast feed here