Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel doubled down on a joke about First Lady Melania Trump being an “expectant widow,” insisting it was about age difference and not a call for violence.

Kimmel made the remark days before a shooting occurred outside the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday night. Both President Donald Trump and the First Lady issued statements calling for Kimmel’s firing following the incident.

Kimmel’s Defense

During his opening monologue on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” Monday, Kimmel said the joke referenced Trump’s age and the couple’s 24-year age gap. “It was a very light roast joke about the fact that he’s almost 80 and she’s younger than I am,” Kimmel said. “It was not-by any stretch of the definition-a call to assassination.”

Kimmel continued by saying the joke was about “their age difference and the look of joy we see on her face every time they’re together.” He acknowledged the First Lady had issued a statement demanding his termination from his job.

The host also addressed the broader context of his remarks. “Obviously, they know that was not a joke about assassination but Trump dying of old age,” Kimmel added, emphasizing his intent was comedic rather than threatening.

Apology to White House Correspondents

Kimmel expressed sympathy for those affected by the shooting attempt, saying he was “sorry” for attendees at the dinner. “Just because no one got killed doesn’t mean it wasn’t traumatic and scary, and we should come together,” he said.

However, Kimmel dismissed the connection between his joke and the attack. “But if you want us to believe that a joke I made three days before this dinner had any effect on anything that happened, well then, maybe someone should look into this psychic lady too,” he said.

Kimmel also addressed rhetoric more broadly, saying he agrees that “hateful and violent rhetoric is something we should reject.” He referenced First Amendment protections, stating that Americans have a right to free speech.

The Shooting Suspect

Cole Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, made his initial federal court appearance Monday to face charges including attempted assassination of the president. According to court documents, Allen entered the Washington Hilton armed with a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun and a Rock Island Armory 1911 .38-caliber pistol.

Authorities said Allen sent a written manifesto to family members before the attack describing his intent to target Trump and other Cabinet officials. The manifesto falsely accused Trump of being a “rapist” and “pedophile.”

Allen also faces charges of discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence and transporting a firearm across state lines. He appeared in court wearing a blue jail uniform as prosecutors formally advised him of the charges.