Trump mocked for saying tax cut plan helps rich 'unattractive' men keep their wives: 'Melania said that'

Donald Trump argued that his 'Big, Beautiful Bill' would alleviate financial strain, claiming that in tough economic times, marriages often fell apart
UPDATED JUL 16, 2025
President Donald Trump drew widespread mockery after making controversial remarks while promoting his 'Big, Beautiful Bill' (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
President Donald Trump drew widespread mockery after making controversial remarks while promoting his 'Big, Beautiful Bill' (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, DC: Donald Trump is facing widespread ridicule after delivering a strange and self-referential speech at the White House Faith Office Luncheon on July 14, Monday, where he touted his proposed tax cut bill while making eyebrow-raising comments promoting what he called his “Big, Beautiful Bill,” a plan which aimed at slashing taxes for the wealthy.

The president suggested that financial strain in a bad economy could lead to mass relationship breakdowns. In one anecdote, Trump appeared to joke about how money might be the only thing holding some marriages together.



 

Donald Trump ridiculed after bizarre speech linking tax cuts to marriage

“I said to one guy, he's a very, very unattractive man, but he's smart and he's rich. And I said, ‘You better hope we get this thing passed, because your wife will be gone within about two minutes,’” Trump said. “He said, ‘You're right.’”

Though the audience laughed, social media didn’t hold back. Many interpreted the comment as a not-so-subtle jab at himself and, by extension, his marriage to Melania Trump.

U.S. President Donald Trump addresses members of Congress alongside first Lady Melania Trump, during the Congressional Picnic on the South Lawn of the White House June 12, 2025 in Washington, DC. Members of Congress from both the House and Senate were hosted by the White House in a decades long tradition intended to put partisanship aside for an evening. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
US President Donald Trump addresses members of Congress alongside first Lady Melania Trump, during the Congressional Picnic on the South Lawn of the White House June 12, 2025 in Washington, DC (PWin McNamee/Getty Images)

Almost instantly, the quote triggered a wave of reactions online. “He was talking to a man in the mirror,” one user quipped on X, referencing longstanding speculation about the first couple's dynamic.



 

Another commenter wrote, “Well you know what they say. In every joke there is a grain of truth.”



 

A user penned, “Melania said that to him.”



 

Others referenced the former president’s history of controversial remarks about women and relationships, calling the statement another example of his misogynistic tone with one user writing, “Trump’s idea of a joke is threatening someone’s marriage if his tax cuts don’t pass. Misogyny and narcissism in one breath — classic.”



 

Another added, “Has he looked in the mirror - Prince Charming he ain't!”



 

Donald Trump also compares himself to Al Capone

President Donald Trump delivers remarks during a White House Faith Office luncheon in the State Dining Room at the White House on July 14, 2025 in Washington, DC. Pastor Paula White-Cain, the head of the White House Faith Office, hosted the luncheon with members of government and faith-based and community organizations. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
President Donald Trump delivers remarks during a White House Faith Office luncheon in the State Dining Room at the White House on July 14, 2025 in Washington, DC (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

The speech took another unexpected turn when Trump pivoted to the topic of his legal troubles. At one point, he bizarrely compared himself to infamous gangster Al Capone, saying, “I was under investigation more than the late, great Alphonse Capone.”

Elaborating on the comparison, Trump added, “Al Capone would kill people for dinner. If he left the room and he didn’t like him, he’d have him shot, killed, buried under a building someplace, as part of the foundation of a building.”

He went on saying, “They’re all over the place, and I said I had more time under investigation than the legendary Alphonse Capone, or probably anybody else.”



 

He then rattled off a list of his legal entanglements. “I was indicted five times. Indicted — that wasn’t a word in my father’s vocabulary. My mother’s looking down, my son’s not supposed to be indicted. I think I got indicted five times, impeached two times. All b******t, right? Terrible stuff.”

However, Trump has been indicted four times, not five. 

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