Donald Trump seemingly sidestepped a question from a female Fox News host when she asked him about the living conditions in Iran. But instead of answering her question directly, the President first talked about her looks and where they had first met.
Trump joined in via phone on Thursday’s episode of Fox News’ The Five, reports The Mirror US. Panelist Dana Perino then said that it was “alarming” that they have not been able to make contact with people in Iran because their internet had been shut down.
She then asked Trump, “I would never ask you to tell us something that is classified. But do you have any insight as to how they are doing? Do they have drinking water? Do they have food?” While the question was simple enough, and would not require him to divulge any sensitive war information, he first tried to distract her from the topic at hand.
HILARIOUS: President Trump: “Do you remember when we had lunch years ago in the base of Trump Tower when it was a brand new building?”
Fox News’ Dana Perino: “It was a long time ago, yes.”
President Trump: “Long time ago and you haven’t changed. You have not changed.”
Dana… pic.twitter.com/osuC8qeka9
— RedWave Press (@RedWavePress) March 27, 2026
President Trump began by asking her, “Do you remember when we had lunch years ago in the base of Trump Tower when it was a brand new building?” The question seemed to catch her off-guard, but she smiled and answered him. “It was a long time ago, yes,” she replied. The President continued, “Long time ago and you haven’t changed. You have not changed.”
Perino laughed, as did the rest of the panel, but Trump was not done with the casual conversation. “Now, I’m not allowed to say this, it’s the end of my political career, but you may be even better looking, ok?” he complimented her.
Perino looked awkward as she tried to figure out an appropriate response. Luckily, the 79-year-old filled the gap and continued talking, saying, “So I don’t know what you’re doing, but I will not say that–” But she spoke over him, revealing that “Fox hair and makeup has a lot to do with that!” And then Trump hit with a thought that he expressed as recently as a Women’s Day event.
“I will not say that because that will end my political career. You know, you’re not allowed say a woman’s beautiful anymore. You know that, Jesse. You gotta be careful,” he joked, before warning panelist Jesse Watters that he should also be careful about complimenting women.
Trump at his Women’s History Month event:
“Women are so powerful and so important and so beautiful. I’m not allowed to use the word beautiful, but I’m using it anyway” pic.twitter.com/erEZtPnYZ7
— FactPost (@factpostnews) March 12, 2026
The fallout was huge with most people finding his treatment of Perino to be condescending. They voiced their opinions on various social media platforms, calling out Trump’s behavior. One user stated, “Not hilarious at all. This was his sick, harassment response to a question that was asked if the Iranian people had food or are doing ok. And he turns it into flirting and harassing Dana. He’s disgusting.”
“Nothing “hilarious” about it. It’s an obscenity and a disgrace, that a Political TV show, that claims serious commentary,” another person noted about the exchange. A third person wrote, “It’s very clear that Trump wasn’t viewing her as being a professional tv analyst career woman.”
