As we are all aware, on Dec. 19, Donald J. Trump, reality TV star and 6-times bankrupt businessman, received over 270 electoral votes, officially electing him as the 45th president of the United States of America. It is the custom for a president’s spouse to assume the role of First Lady of the United States. The First Lady serves as an unofficial political actor who represents their spouse at events, assists in campaigning and advocates for public policies, among other duties.
Our current First Lady, Michelle Obama (née Robinson) instituted the White House Kitchen Garden, the first fruit and vegetable garden in the White House since the Franklin D. Roosevelt administration and put bee hives in the White House’s backyards. She also assisted her husband in creating the Task Force for Childhood Obesity and created the Let’s Move! movement to end the epidemic of childhood obesity. She is a two-time Ivy League graduate, with a B.A. in Sociology with a minor in African American Studies from Princeton University and a J.D. from Harvard Law School. Mrs. Obama is a notably renowned public speaker, giving multiple speeches during her husband’s presidential campaigns, most recently at the Democratic National Convention, advocating for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.
Melania Trump would be the first ever First Lady not to be born a citizen of the United States.
However, there are rumors that Melania will actually not be assuming the role of First Lady. She will not move into the White House with her husband after his inauguration, but will instead continue to live in Trump Tower with their 10-year-old son Barron so he can continue to attend his private school. Despite the numerous private elementary schools all around the D.C.-Maryland-Virginia area, the Trump family has decided not to fully cohere with the traditions of an American president.
The New York Post blames Melania and Barron’s extremely close relationship as why she is allowing her husband to move into the White House on his own. However, if she is as dedicated to her husband as she made it seem during his entire campaign, even after reports broke of him bragging about sexually assaulting women and calling her a “blimp” and a “monster” during her pregnancy, it is quite strange that she will not be by his side during his transition into Commander-in-Chief.
However, what is quite a bit more strange than Melania not assisting her husband is who The Donald has supposedly been prepping to serve as First Lady instead: his daughter Ivanka. Though no decision has been publicly made, Ivanka will have her own office in the White House, one usually designated for the FLOTUS. According to Politico, she is organizing to become a climate change policy advocate, fulfilling another role of the First Lady. She has also been present in multiple meetings and briefings with business people and foreign politicians, places Melania has never been.
Though other presidents have had their daughters or daughters-in-law serve as their First Lady, these situations have always occurred when the president was a widower or bachelor, or the president’s wife was very ill. Donald Trump is known to be a bit of a rule-breaker, but it seems like he is preparing to completely shatter the tradition of a First Lady.
