Dark humour

Trump jokes about US light bulb reversal

Donald Trump poked fun at his reversal of a ban on energyinefficient light bulbs, as he told supporters that he looked better when lit by them.

The US president scrapped a ban that had been due to come into force next year.

The Trump administration justified the move on grounds of consumer choice and reducing costs, but critics saw it as another weakening of plans to tackle climate change.

Addressing supporters in North Carolina on Monday, Mr Trump joked about the reasons for making the decision.

“I’m not a vain person,” he said. “I know I have no vain people [as supporters], especially these incredible ladies in the front. But I look better under an incandescent light than these crazy lights that are beaming down on us!”

He said that newer bulbs were more expensive and claimed they could be “very dangerous”, though he did not detail his concerns.

Mr Trump said: “There is a big danger. In fact they have labels: ‘Don’t break this bulb’. What are you going to do? Throw it away?” He added: “So you’re going to hopefully buy the new ones but you can buy the old ones, too, and you can save a load of money and ... even look better.”

Mr Trump’s rally address, which lasted more than 90 minutes, also saw him joke about his hair, which has been the subject of much derision from American comedians over the years.

The president appeared to address claims that he wears a wig, saying: “It’s my hair. May not be great, but I will say it’s better than most of my friends’ who are the same age.”

Ben Riley-smith US Editor