Compare and contrast the Melania Trump who nervously greeted the Obamas in January 2017, the first time her husband was sworn in as president, with the seasoned professional we witnessed yesterday.
At the time, she presented Michelle Obama with a gift in a blue Tiffany box, which the outgoing First Lady somewhat shudderingly set aside. When she arrived at the White House yesterday afternoon, there was no such attempt to ingratiate herself with Mrs. Biden: just impeccable poise and a sharp three-quarter navy coat, killer heels and matching skipper, which made her look like a cross between a dominatrix and a Norland Nanny.
As she took her place in the Capitol next to her 18-year-old son Barron, whose slightly vampiric complexion was in stark contrast to her expensively honeyed tones, her eyes remained hidden beneath the brim of her hat.
As her husband drew closer for a kiss, it was as if some sort of millinery force field prevented his pursed lips from brushing her cheek. The hat remained in place throughout the ceremony, deterring any further attempts at affection – and shielding her from the public gaze. The newly anointed leader of the Free World had to content himself with a gentle squeeze on the shoulder.
You can never tell with Mrs. Trump whether her apparent froideur is intentional or merely a consequence of her desire for perfection, which is reflected in every aspect of her appearance. Certainly, in a room full of messy, exuberant Americans, she stands out for her poise and poise.
But there's no doubt that she can seem distant, to say the least. I met her once, very briefly, in 2019, during President Trump's state visit to Britain. One of the many advantages of being married to a minister was the occasional wonderful plus-one, in this case an invitation to the State Banquet in honor of the President at Buckingham Palace, in the presence of the late Queen.
It was a memorable evening for all kinds of reasons – especially the extraordinary privilege of being inches away from the monarch, in her white dress adorned with crystals, diamonds and rubies.
After dinner, we were led into a small salon, where The Donald himself, his daughter Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner, along with several members of their entourage, were holding court. The future King Charles listened attentively. Mrs. Trump stepped aside and spoke to the wife of the American ambassador, whom I vaguely knew, and so, buoyed by the excellent Chateau Lafite Rothschild 1990 served at the dinner, I approached her. She looked beautiful in white custom Dior, her hair was darker than it is now, and a cat's eyes resembled razor-sharp Slavic cheekbones.
Melania Trump was way funnier and cooler than I expected, and that's when I realized she wasn't just some arm candy, writes Sarah Vine
President Donald Trump and his wife Melania walk hand in hand at his inauguration at the US Capitol in Washington
I introduced myself and we started talking. As we observed my husband's kilt, we speculated that perhaps her husband, who was of Scottish descent, should also try the tartan next time.
I said how much I liked her dress, and made a joke at my own expense, and she laughed, a real, genuine laugh. She was way funnier and cooler than I expected, and I realized then that she wasn't just some arm candy.
What struck me was that her English is really not that good. I've often wondered if that has anything to do with her aloofness. I asked her how she felt about staying in the beautiful ambassador's residence in Regent's Park, with its beautiful gardens. A mischievous look crossed her face.
'Ah yes,' she said, 'the gardens. I'm told they are very beautiful. But you know Donald, what he is like. He says: why land a helicopter on the RAF when the property has a large garden? So we land there. And gardens. . .' she gestured with her long, manicured nails and made a chopping sound like a helicopter'. . . suddenly not so beautiful anymore.'
Melania Trump nervously greets the Obamas in January 2017, the first time her husband was sworn in as president
After Trump lost to Biden in 2020, many observers expected Mrs. Trump to jump ship. Instead, not only has she stayed married, she appears to have doubled down and fully supported his second offer – even, Vanity Fair magazine claimed, artfully renegotiating her prenup in case his legal troubles would affect his finances.
But that is not surprising: in her own way, she is just as ambitious and calculating as he is. “Transactional” is the buzzword for Donald Trump's second term, with the president's supporters praising his ability to push through a deal even in the most hostile circumstances.
It's its USP. Even his detractors recognize his feisty approach, often performing U-turns – TikTok, Bitcoin – that would seriously embarrass anyone else. He is the opposite of a conviction politician, a pure and unapologetic opportunist who, in a world torn by dogma and ideological impasses, may not be such a bad thing. He is willing to deal with almost anyone, provided there is something in return.
His wife, the US First Lady, always seemed to reflect that approach, albeit in a much less effusive way. Like a sphinx, she appears at his side when the occasion demands it, but is notably absent on a daily basis. Over the years, this has led to speculation about the true nature of their relationship, whether it is a 'real' marriage in the romantic sense of the word, or whether there is indeed a more transactional element to it.
The implication is that they have a marriage of convenience, based less on something as unquantifiable as love, but more on measurable mutual benefits.
Why that should be a problem – or even surprising – is beyond me: Melania isn't the first beautiful woman to marry a rich, powerful, older man, and she won't be the last. As Mrs. Merton (aka the late comedian Caroline Aherne) is said to have once famously said, “So, Melania, what first drew you to billionaire Donald?” And furthermore, aren't all relationships fundamentally transactional, whether the participants want to admit it or not? If both parties are happy with the arrangement, what's the problem?
Yet there is a perception that without his money, Mrs. Trump would have checked out long ago, especially after all his crimes, small and large, plus the whole Stormy Daniels affair, have been discussed at such length. Why would any self-respecting woman stay with such an idiot if not for profit?
Based on that, it might not have been the best idea for the First Lady to launch her own cryptocurrency the Sunday before her husband's inauguration. The idea that you can somehow buy a piece of Melania for around $10 will only invite more nudges, winks and nods.
That's one way to look at it. You can also see it as a bold move. Because the idea of Melania Trump paying even the slightest bit of attention to what the world thinks of her is for the birds.
I'm not sure she even cares what The Donald thinks of her, as evidenced by a recent interview where she said, “Some people just see me as the president's wife, but I stand on my own two feet . feet, independent. I have my own thoughts, I have my own yes and no, I don't always agree with what my husband says or does, and that's okay.”
Compared to the usual talk about traditional women uttered by most political spouses, this is encouraging. You could even argue that Trump's 20-year marriage to a woman of such strong character is a good reflection of him.
She is also working on a documentary for Amazon Prime, for which she is an executive producer, chronicling her return to the White House. Filming began last December and the show is expected to air in the second half of 2025.
Again, it's another example of the Trumps' can-do approach: During his first presidency, Mr. Trump was highly critical of Amazon's Jeff Bezos, who also owns the center-left Washington Post. Now that they've secured a $1 million donation from Bezos, it looks like they're all best friends — so much so that Mrs. Trump is inviting the cameras into the White House.
Whether the documentary will offer any real insights into the character of the new First Lady remains to be seen. She might prefer to wear her metaphorical hat and keep us all at a distance. Either way, we're in for an interesting time.
