Donald Trump makes bizarre joke about his mum and King Charles - there's one major issue
Topics: King Charles III, Donald Trump, US News, Politics
Lucy Devine
Featured Image Credit: Maxine Wallace/The Washington Post via Getty Images
Topics: King Charles III, Donald Trump, US News, Politics
US President Donald Trump made a joke about his mother while hosting King Charles and Queen Camilla this week - but fans have pointed out a major issue with the gag.
Charles and Camilla arrived in Washington DC on Monday (27 April) for a state visit, before jetting over to New York on Wednesday (29 April).
During their time with President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump, the pair enjoyed a state dinner, an aircraft flyover and a speech from the King to Congress.
Trump also gave his own speech at the White House on the second day of the royal visit, explaining that his mother, Mary Ann MacLeod - who was born and raised in Scotland and moved to New York in 1930 - had a 'crush' on Charles.
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"My mother, I just see it so clearly... I told the King that she loved the royal family and she loved the Queen, and any time the Queen was involved in the ceremony or anything, my mother would be glued to the television, and she’d say ‘look, Donald, look how beautiful that is,’” Trump said.
“She really did love the family but I also remember her saying very clearly, ‘Charles, look young Charles, he’s so cute'.
“My mother had a crush on Charles. Can you believe it, amazing how… I wonder what she’s thinking right now?”
After making the comments, the camera turned to Charles, who could be seen awkwardly laughing, before waving his hand away.
And many people commented on Charles' reaction, with one person writing on social media: "Charles’ face says it all."
While another said: "So cringeworthy! Our poor King, having to endure this with a smile on his face!"
And a third added: "He was indeed struggling and uncomfortable."
Others pointed out that Trump's mother was a lot older than Charles, with one writing on X: "Trump's mother was 54 when Charles turned 18."
Meanwhile another said: "Trump's mother was almost 36 years older than King Charles."
And a third added: "When King Charles was born, Trump’s mother was 36 years old."
Charles also made his own jokes during the trip, throwing in a gag about America's colonial past during a toast.
He said: "This said, our French friends can feel equally at home with a glance at a map. Indeed, you recently commented, Mr President, that if it were not for the United States, European countries would be speaking German."
Trump did indeed tell a room full of European leaders at the World Economic Forum back in January that 'without us, right now, you’d all be speaking German and [a] little Japanese perhaps'.
The monarch then paused, before adding: "Dare I say that if it wasn't for us, you'd be speaking French," joking about Britain’s historical role.