How a comedian's prank call was allegedly patched through to the president

It isn’t every day that a comedian manages to speak to the president of the United States by pretending to be a U.S. senator, but comedian and “Stuttering John” podcaster John Melendez claims he did that this week. A source familiar with the situation confirmed to CBS News’ Sara Cook that the White House called Sen. Bob Menendez’s office Thursday morning to inform the New Jersey Democrat that the prank call took place Wednesday under the senator’s name. 

So, how did a comedian apparently reach the U.S. president by pretending to be Menendez?

Officially, the White House hasn’t acknowledged the call. A White House official told Cook, “we are not engaging on this at all.” 

But Melendez told Cook on Saturday that he and his producer were doing his “Stuttering John” podcast when they decided to call the White House. At first, according to Melendez’ account, he called in as himself. He said he thought he could get through, given that he has known Mr. Trump for many years. But the White House didn’t patch him through.  

Melendez said he then called back again, claiming to be the senator’s assistant, using what he described as a bad British accent.

That apparently worked. The White House, Melendez said, took the call, and called him back on his cell. When he was asked why his number included an area code from California, Melendez claimed to be on holiday. 

“How dumb are you to think that the area code changes when you go to a different city?” Melendez said to CBS. 

Melendez said that Mr. Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner then called him from Air Force One. Kushner asked what he wanted to discuss with the President, according to Melendez, and Melendez told Kushner he’d had an extensive conversation with Mr. Trump on immigration, and wanted to continue the conversation.

Melendez claimed he got yet another call within 20 minutes, patching him through to Mr. Trump aboard Air Force One.

In the conversation, a voice that Melendez claimed is Mr. Trump’s congratulated the comedian on his success, believing him to be the senator (the Justice Department in January declined to re-try the Democratic senator’s public corruption case). The two then discussed immigration and Mr. Trump’s future Supreme Court pick. 

But that wasn’t the end of the saga for the comedian.

Melendez said that when he arrived home, neighborhood kids told him the Secret Service had been banging on his door. The children claimed, according to Melendez, that Secret Service agents showed their badges. The Secret Service is not commenting on the matter.

On Sunday, Melendez told CBS News he was hopeful that he wouldn’t face any punishment. “I don’t think the Secret Service is going to do anything, because I didn’t make any money off of this, so hopefully they’re going to let it go,” he said. 

Melendez, fearing the possibility of legal action against him over the call, said he’s talked to his attorney. He’s also spoken with Michael Avenatti, the lawyer who is representing adult film actress Stormy Daniels in her lawsuit against Mr. Trump. A source familiar says Melendez reached out to Avenatti about possible representation, but nothing has been formalized. On Sunday, Melendez said he hadn’t spoken spoken to Avenatti again. 

Melendez told CBS News that all the White House needed to do was ask his party affiliation and state to stump him; Melendez said he only knows the senator’s name. 

“That’s gotta scare most Americans, that’s how easy you can infiltrate this administration,” he told Cook.