Entertainment Music Ariana Grande Responds to Pete Davidson's Manchester Joke: 'I Of Course Didn't Find It Funny' Grande tweeted: "this has been v tough & conflicting on my heart. he uses comedy to help ppl feel better ab how f-ed up things in this world are" By Jeff Nelson Jeff Nelson Instagram Twitter Jeff Nelson is the Senior News Editor, Entertainment at PEOPLE. For nearly a decade, he has worked across the brand's entertainment verticals, reporting on breaking news and writing and editing across platforms, as well as securing A-list cover exclusives, including Barry Manilow's coming out and an at-home interview with Madonna. Jeff has appeared as an expert on Good Morning America, Extra, HLN and SiriusXM, as well as at RuPaul's DragCon as a moderator. He studied magazine journalism at Drake University, graduating with a B.A. in Journalism & Mass Communication. People Editorial Guidelines Published on July 5, 2018 04:25 PM Share Tweet Pin Email Ariana Grande has spoken out about a joke fiancé Pete Davidson made about the bombing at her Manchester concert last year. Three days after Davidson’s Manchester bombing joke resurfaced, Grande responded to a fan who asked why she is still engaged to the Saturday Night Live star. “I respect Ariana and I want her to be happy and everything, but she was just broken after the Manchester bombing, so I don’t know why she is still with Pete, like yeah he made that joke a while ago, but like it’s not funny, it’s just rude. This is my opinion,” Twitter user @ariissalegend wrote on Wednesday. Neilson Barnard/Getty Images Thursday, Grande replied on social media. “this has been v tough & conflicting on my heart. he uses comedy to help ppl feel better ab how f-ed up things in this world are. we all deal w trauma differently. I of course didn’t find it funny. it was months ago & his intention wasn’t/ is never malicious but it was unfortunate,” the “No Tears Left to Cry” singer, 25, tweeted, later adding: “i hear and respect you all always.” During a stand-up benefit show last fall, Davidson, 24 commented on Grande’s fame. According to the Mirror he joked, “Britney Spears didn’t have a terrorist attack at her concert,” referencing the tragedy which killed 22 people and injured over 800 in May 2017. RELATED VIDEO: Ariana Grande Drops New Single ‘No Tears Left to Cry’ The joke resurfaced earlier this week, and Charlotte Hodgson — whose 15-year-old daughter Olivia Campbell-Hardy was killed in the attack — blasted Davidson, telling the Mirror his joke was “disgusting,” adding: “We don’t need jokes about it, there have been plenty around, and it’s heartbreaking to hear every day. But for someone so famous to be doing it and now to be with Ariana, it’s outrageous.” Jawad Elatab / Splash A source close to Davidson told PEOPLE: “The joke was taken out of context. He lost his dad in 9/11 and is close with other victims of violent tragedies. As a way of coping he turns to humor. …He’s obviously sensitive to tragedy as he lost his own father and his intention is to just make people laugh.” On May 21, PEOPLE confirmed Grande and Davidson were dating casually; on June 11, a source confirmed the pair had gotten engaged after only weeks together.