Donald Trump has sparked online criticism after making a joke about his marriage to Melania Trump, which many netizens feel were similar to the one made by Jimmy Kimmel.
'Grandpa Just Stole Kimmel’s Joke': Trump Faces Backlash Over Awkward Age-Gap Remark to Melania
President Donald Trump made a self-deprecating joke about his marriage to Melania Trump during his greeting speech for King Charles III and Queen Camilla at the White House, referencing the age gap between himself and the first lady, just days after a similar joke by Jimmy Kimmel had drawn controversy.
Notably, during a monologue on a recent episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Kimmel had joked that Melania's face had the glow of an “expectant widow.”
The remark sparked outrage on social media after a shooting incident at the White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) dinner on Saturday, April 25, reportedly targeted the president.
'That's a Record We Won't Be Able to Match'
On Tuesday, April 28, during the formal arrival ceremony for Charles and Camilla at the White House, Trump spoke about his mother, Mary Anne MacLeod Trump, who emigrated from Scotland at 19 and later married his father, Fred Trump.
The couple were married for 63 years.
Donald Trump talks about his marriage to Melania Trump during his greeting speech for King Charles III and Queen Camilla at the White House.
The president then turned to Melania, who was seated right beside Camilla, and said, "That's a record we won't be able to match, darling. I'm sorry, it's just not going to work out that way."
He the chuckled and stated, "We'll do well, but we're not going to do that well."
Trump, who will turn 80 on June 14, 2026, is the oldest president to serve in the Oval Office.
The president was referring to the considerably high age gap between him and the first lady, who is currently 56 years old.
The remark drew comparisons to Kimmel's joke about the Trumps' age difference, which the late-night host had described as "a very light roast" about the fact that Trump is "almost 80" while Melania is much younger.
Netizens React to Donald Trump's Remark
The president's remarks drew strong reactions on social media. Netizens were especially critical of Trump as he had called out Kimmel for making a similar joke about the first couple.
One user wrote, “Imagine the horror of thinking you’d ever be married to Donald for 63 years. Or just being married to him at all.”
Another user commented, “Did he just make a joke about Melania being a Widow?”
An individual stated, “Trying to figure out what he’s actually saying because she disassociated and barely knows English,” posting a screenshot of the first lady's face.
One user commented, “Melania: We wouldn’t have seen our 20th anniversary this year if you didn’t turn your head to look at those stupid graphs in Butler, PA.”
“Grandpa just stole Kimmel’s joke,” added another.
An individual wrote, “This monster is horrible. Not even his wife can hide how disgusted she is by him.”