Days after calling for comedian Jimmy Kimmel to lose his job over a joke about the age gap between President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump, the president used the same subject matter in a speech welcoming King Charles III to the White House on Tuesday.
During a formal arrival ceremony on the South Lawn, Trump reflected on the U.S.-U.K. friendship and his Scottish-born mother's admiration for the late Queen Elizabeth II. Noting his mother emigrated from Scotland at age 19 and had a 63-year marriage, he turned to the first lady, seated with Queen 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. We'll do well, but we're not going to do that well."
The president, who turns 80 in June, was referring to the 24-year age gap with his 56-year-old wife. The couple met in 1998 when she was 28 and he was 52.
Kimmel Controversy
Trump's joke came a day after he demanded ABC fire Kimmel for a joke during a mock White House Correspondents' Dinner roast. Kimmel described Melania as having "a glow like an expectant widow," referencing the president's age. After a gunman attempted to storm a charity fundraiser on Saturday, the Trumps recast Kimmel's comments as advocating assassination.
On Monday, Melania Trump called Kimmel a "coward" on X, saying he "hides behind ABC." She did not demand his firing but called on the network to "take a stand." Her husband went further on Truth Social, demanding Kimmel be "immediately fired by Disney and ABC."
ABC aired Kimmel's program as usual on Monday. In response, FCC Chair Brendan Carr appears ready to order Disney-owned ABC to participate in an early review of broadcast licenses for its stations in several major markets.
