Former President Donald Trump wished his wife Melania a happy birthday Friday outside the courtroom where he faces criminal charges linked to hush money paid to an adult movie star he's accused of having sex with — and it went about as well as could be expected.
Trump's best birthday wishes — delivered outside the Manhattan criminal courtroom where key witnesses include disgraced tabloid publishers, imprisoned former fixers, and alleged mistress Stormy Daniels — were roundly ridiculed after video of the press conference hit social media.
"Happy birthday to Melania, who I'd like to be with," wrote X user "Really American" in a satirical quote mockingly attributed to Trump, "but I'm at this trial because I had sex with a porn star while she was pregnant with our son and I paid $130K to hide it so voters wouldn't find out."
Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up hush money paid ahead of the 2016 presidential election and denies having an affair with Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal.
McDougal said she and Trump had a sexual relationship while Melania was pregnant with Trump's son Barron.
On Friday, Trump said he was unable to spend time with Melania on her birthday because he faced a "rigged" trial.
"I want to start by wishing my wife Melania a very happy birthday," Trump said. "It would be nice to be with her but I'm in a courthouse for a rigged trial."
Melania's name was soon trending on X.
"Trump says he would rather spend the day with Melania for her birthday but he has to be in court," replied Alex Cole. "Trump is literally in court because he enjoyed cheating on Melania."
"He is literally in court because he chose to bang a porn star rather than be with his wife and their newborn son," added Marlene Robertson.
Added X user Liam Nissan, "If he'd just spent more time with Melania he wouldn't even be in this situation."
Anti-Trump conservative group the Lincoln Project also took the opportunity to wish Melania Trump a happy birthday, along with a video montage that shows the former First Lady appearing pulling her hand away from her husband's.
"Hoping Melania is spending her birthday in her favorite place to be," the group wrote, "far away from Donald Trump."
