Seth Meyers zeroed in on a single word Donald Trump used while complimenting Melania Trump. The late-night host broke down the president’s awkward Rose Garden remarks during a women’s health executive order signing ceremony.
Seth Meyers jokes about Donald Trump’s compliment for Melania
Seth Meyers mocked President Donald Trump on his late-night show for awkwardly complimenting First Lady Melania Trump during a Rose Garden signing ceremony. Trump signed an executive order on Oct. 19 creating a women’s health division within the National Institutes of Health and a White House task force. He credited Melania with conceiving the idea for the initiative.
During his Monday monologue, Meyers highlighted Trump’s backhanded praise. Trump called Melania “a very skilled person, actually.” Meyers quipped, “Oh, I know my wife loves it when I add ‘actually’ at the end of a compliment.” He added it ranks alongside telling someone “You look tired” and “Calm down.”
Meyers also played a clip of Trump saying Melania “worked so hard” on the initiative and adding, “You wouldn’t believe it.” The host responded, “I don’t know, I might believe it. I’ve certainly never seen her on the golf course.” The joke referenced Trump’s frequent golf outings during his presidency.
Trump made further awkward remarks at the ceremony. After signing the order, he handed Melania his Sharpie pen and said, “I don’t know if her signature means anything.” The comment drew uneasy laughter from guests. Melania smiled and responded, “Yours is the most important,” before signing.
The executive order establishes a task force led by Susie Wiles and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The NIH has maintained an Office of Research on Women’s Health since 1990. Officials said the new division would collaborate with that office rather than replace it. The order does not allocate funds or include specific funding goals. In April 2025, the administration cut funding for the long-running Women’s Health Initiative before public backlash forced a reversal. The signing came two weeks before midterm elections, with a Times/Siena Poll showing only one-third of American women support Trump and the Republican Party.
