The American telecommunications regulatory authority has expedited the media license evaluation process, following Jimmy Kimmel's joke about Melania Trump.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced a controversial decision to expedite the media license evaluation process, initially scheduled for 2028, following a joke made by Jimmy Kimmel on his show 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!'. The comedian described the First Lady as having 'the glow of a developing widow', provoking harsh criticism from the Trump administration, which called for his dismissal.

ABC confirmed receipt of the FCC order but invoked the protection offered by the First Amendment, preparing to contest the measure. Democratic Commissioner Anna M Gomez criticized the decision, calling it a 'unprecedented political gesture'. Melania Trump reacted, accusing Kimmel of 'toxic rhetoric', but she was accused of hypocrisy by online users.

Kimmel defended the joke, stating that it was not a call to violence, and actor George Clooney highlighted the increasing risks of public discourse in the USA.