Good for the Goose; Not Good for the Gander

A friend recently posted a story where Tom Jones (British singer living in London) as coming to Trump’s side denouncing “violence” as promoted by Jimmy Kimmel’s “expectant widow” joke about Melania. My reply is included below. I did not bring up the fact that Mr. Jones and Mr. Trump have something in common. Jones bragged about having slept with up to 250 women a year while married to his wife Linda. He called his affairs and infidelity, “fun and games.”

My reply…

Political satire has long been a part of the American landscape. Jimmy Kimmel’s comment that Melania had “the glow of an expectant widow” was made before and not after the violence that took place at the Correspondents’ Dinner. Kimmel had no way of knowing that would happen. At the time the line was delivered, the reference could easily have been nothing more than about the age difference between a 56-year-old former nude model and her billionaire, overweight, almost 80-year-old husband. Jokes about golddiggers have long been part of comedic banter. Taken in context, there was no imminent threat involved and no violent act was suggested.

President Trump has never shied away from violence or threats of violence against others. He regularly uses violence against others as part of his demeanor. If called out later he will often say, “I was only joking.” Trump himself has a long record—singular among American presidents of the modern era—of inciting and threatening violence against his fellow citizens, journalists, and anyone he deems his opposition. At a campaign event on October 31, 2024, Trump said of former U.S. Representative Liz Cheney, “She’s a radical war hawk. Let’s put her with a rifle standing there with nine barrels shooting at her, okay? Let’s see how she feels about it ... when the guns are trained on her face.” Was he just joking or was he threatening violence?

Trump’s violent rhetoric and use of violence in his speech is part of his personality. He can dish it out, but he can’t take it. He is incredibly thin skinned for someone in politics. He is notorious for his asymmetric retribution against those he deems to have offended him.

Certainly, you remember his claim that he could shoot someone on 5th avenue and get away with it. Was he joking that he could kill random New Yorkers and be found innocent because he is so popular? Should people in New York feel threatened? No, it was political satire or rhetoric.