Donald Trump appeared rather flattered after being told he was handsome when he smiles by a former Hillary Clinton voter – though she isn’t planning on voting for him.

In what surely must be the weirdest moment of Trump’s Town Hall with NBC on Thursday, retired professor Paulette Dale awkwardly flirted with the president before she grilled him about his immigration policies.

Dale – who is a registered Republican who voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016 – appeared flustered as she was called on to put a question to Trump.

“Good evening, Mr president. I have to say you have a great smile,” she told the 72-year-old Trump.

“You’re so handsome when you smile.”

The president appeared to enjoy the compliment, his face somewhat reddening as he thanked her multiple times.

After recovering her composure, Dale went on: “As the daughter of immigrants to the United States who fled eastern Europe due to religious persecution, the United States’ immigration policies are very personal for me.

“Surveys show that most Americans and the majority of Republicans support the Dreamers program. So my question for you, Mr. President, is: If you are elected to a second term, do you expect to pursue your previous efforts to cut the DACA program?

Trump replied: “We are working very hard on the DACA program and you will be, I think, very happy over the course of the next year, because I feel the same way that you do about it.”

After the event, Dale told the New Times: “I wish he would smile more and talk less.”

Despite her inexplicable crush, she said she currently plans to vote for Democratic candidate Joe Biden.

“I think the man has a nice smile. However, I’m not a fan.”

Perhaps she was less than impressed with Trump’s refusal once again to denounce supporters of the far-right conspiracy theory QAnon. 

The second presidential debate had originally been scheduled for Thursday, but Trump pulled out of the event after organisers decided to turn it into a virtual affair following his diagnosis two weeks ago.

A final debate is still scheduled for October 22 in Nashville, Tennessee.