During a White House event on Tuesday, President Donald Trump attempted humor regarding his marriage to First Lady Melania Trump, but her reaction indicated the joke fell flat.
As he welcomed King Charles III and Queen Camilla to the United States, Trump reflected on his parents' 63-year marriage before addressing Melania, who was seated between the royal couple.
“Excuse me, if you don’t mind. That’s a record we won’t be able to match, darling,” he remarked, eliciting a stiff smile from Melania before she turned her attention to the queen.
“I’m sorry. Just not going to work out that way. We’ll do well, but we’re not going to do that well, 63 years,” he added, hinting at his own mortality as he approaches his 80th birthday.
This comment raises eyebrows considering the improbability of him reaching a 63rd wedding anniversary in 2068, when he would be 121 years old and Melania would be 97.
The couple first met in 1998, shortly before Trump divorced his second wife, Marla Maples. They tied the knot in January 2005 and welcomed their son, Barron Trump, the following year.
Critics quickly drew parallels between Trump’s quip and a recent joke by Jimmy Kimmel, who referred to Melania as an “expectant widow” just days before a gunman disrupted the White House Correspondents’ Association event attended by Trump.
The aftermath of the shooting ignited right-wing backlash against Kimmel, prompting Melania to call for ABC to terminate the comedian's contract.
Social media users reacted to Trump’s joke with similar sentiments. One user on X questioned, “So he’s joking about Melania being an expectant widow?” while another noted the hypocrisy: “So Trump can joke about Melania becoming a widow, but MAGA melts down over a late-night comedian saying the same thing?”
In light of the controversy surrounding Kimmel’s remarks, the Federal Communications Commission, led by a chair aligned with Trump, is reportedly considering a review of Disney’s broadcast licenses.
