Jimmy Fallon quips Melania Trump is so bothered by WH construction that she ‘lives 200 miles away’

WASHINGTON, DC: Late-night host Jimmy Fallon targeted President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump in a series of jokes over the construction of the White House Ballroom.

Fallon joked that the noise must be so loud that Melania Trump lives "200 miles away" and that she "stopped speaking to Trump nine years ago."

Late-night jokes on Trump's ballroom construction project

During his monologue on 'The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon' on Wednesday, December 3, Jimmy Fallon emphasized the ongoing construction of the White House Ballroom.

He began by saying, "President Trump has been focused on building his new ballroom, and he just said that Melania is upset over all the construction noise.”

Fallon then threw in his first jab, saying, “It must be really loud because she lives 200 miles away.”

The crowd laughed as Fallon continued to joke about the First Couple, adding, "Melania is so mad about the construction she stopped speaking to Trump nine years ago."

He further joked that the 79-year-old president “rarely hears the noise” because “half his day is spent in a tanning bed, the other half is in an MRI, so he doesn’t know what’s happening.”

Fallon tied the construction to Trump's appearance of dozing off during a Cabinet meeting earlier in the week by asserting, "The construction noise is brutal, but it's the only thing keeping Trump awake."

White House ballroom architect changed

As work on the ballroom described by the White House as "a much-needed and exquisite addition" proceeds, reports came in on Thursday, December 4 that the architects have been changed.

CNN had reported that McCrery Architects and its CEO, James McCrery, were no longer part of the project leadership as reportedly, as he reportedly disagreed with the President's wishes on design elements, including the size of the ballroom.

Though the White House denied that CEO McCrery was fired, they did confirm he would transition to a consultant role.

Veteran architect Shalom Baranes takes over design

Meanwhile, Shalom Baranes Associates has now been brought on board to take over the project's design.

White House spokesperson Davis Ingle issued a statement on the change to CNN: "As we begin to transition into the next stage of development on the White House Ballroom, the Administration is excited to share that the highly talented Shalom Baranes has joined the team of experts to carry out President Trump's vision on building what will be the greatest addition to the White House since the Oval Office - the White House Ballroom." 

Ingle concluded by highlighting the credentials of the new firm, saying, “Shalom is an accomplished architect whose work has shaped the architectural identity of our nation’s capital for decades, and his experience will be a great asset to the completion of this project.”