Poor Melania Trump had plans to run a beauty/fashion empire as FLOTUS

I feel like these Melania Trump posts are pretty popular, mostly because people want something a bit lighter/dumber to discuss and yet they still want something politics-adjacent. Well, Melania flew to Palm Beach over the weekend to meet her husband and attend a fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago. I assume Melania has already returned to New York because she’s all about motherhood and being “there” for Barron (nevermind that flying back and forth New York-Florida over the weekend is probably enough to throw most children off-kilter). As for Melania’s plans to eventually reside in the White House… who knows?

In an interview with the New York Times, Melania’s advisers assured the paper she’ll definitely be doing First Lady things — she’s just moving at her own pace.

“It has only been a short time since the inauguration, and the First Lady is going to go about her role in a pragmatic and thoughtful way that is unique and authentic to her,” said Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, a former Vogue staffer and her newly hired chief strategist. Lindsay Reynolds, her chief of staff, added that the First Lady’s office is “working to ensure that the White House Visitors Office is fully staffed and operational” before dealing with the thousands of White House–tour requests that have reportedly piled up since Michelle Obama’s departure. (The First Lady’s office traditionally handles tours.)

It’s pretty normal for first ladies to be staffed up and ready to dive in on day one. Myra Gutin, a professor at Rider University who specializes in first ladies, said Trump is “far behind the curve compared to where modern first ladies have been by the time their husbands are inaugurated, in a quite unprecedented way.” But according to the Times, she’s hired an interior decorator — Tham Kannalikham — to overhaul the presidential living space, and she’s set to announce the hiring of Natalie Jones as her social secretary. “I am putting together a professional and highly experienced team, which will take time to do properly,” Trump said in a statement.

Anita McBride, who was Laura Bush’s chief of staff, said Melania’s ostensible absence might just be her hallmark: “Everybody has expectations of what they think it should be, but the reality is it’s really for the First Lady to determine how she can fulfill the role that’s true to her.” Oh, and according to Wolkoff, Melania is definitely moving to Washington.

[From NY Mag]

LOL, the “Melania Trump Signature” will be her total f–king absence. While it’s true that there is no hard-and-fast protocol for First Ladies, it’s been decades since we’ve had a First Lady who has no desire to do anything, not even move into the White House.

Meanwhile, Melania has filed another lawsuit against the Daily Mail for their reporting/claims last year that Melania allegedly worked as an escort. The lawsuit took a weird turn in a new filing though – apparently, Melania is saying that the escort claims have hampered her ability to profit from her position as FLOTUS.

A lawyer for first lady Melania Trump argued in a lawsuit filed Monday that an article falsely alleging she once worked for an escort service hurt her chance to establish “multimillion dollar business relationships” during the years in which she would be “one of the most photographed women in the world.”

The suit, filed Monday in New York State Supreme Court in Manhattan against Mail Media, the owner of the Daily Mail, said the article published by the Daily Mail and its online division last August caused Trump’s brand, Melania, to lose “significant value” as well as “major business opportunities that were otherwise available to her.” The suit noted that the article had damaged Trump’s “unique, once in a lifetime opportunity” to “launch a broad-based commercial brand.”

“These product categories would have included, among other things, apparel accessories, shoes, jewelry, cosmetics, hair care, skin care and fragrance,” according to the lawsuit, which was filed on Trump’s behalf by California attorney Charles Harder.

[From Washington Post]

Poor Melania. SHE HAD PLANS. If not for those dastardly escort claims, she could have grifted her way to a global beauty-fashion empire!! Remember when our biggest worry was that Sarah Palin and her grifter family got the RNC to pay for a bunch of fancy clothes??

Photos courtesy of Getty.

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151 Responses to “Poor Melania Trump had plans to run a beauty/fashion empire as FLOTUS”

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  1. Clare says:

    This woman lied about her acgievements, stayed in the US illegally, worked illegally, flirted with a much older man while he was on a date with another woman, married said much older man – why is anyone surprised that she does not meet the standards we are used to from First ladies?

    I mean, forget who her husband is, this woman is a shit show all on her own.

    • SilverUnicorn says:

      I agree….. However I wouldn’t have even cared about worked/stayed illegally if her husband hadn’t made his personal mission to exterminate and/or hate on immigrants of any kind.
      The hypocrisy level is staggering.

    • doofus says:

      agree. and let’s not forget that the role of First Lady is NOT SUPPOSED TO BE A MONEY MAKER.

      I hope her lawsuit gets thrown out and, while doing so, the judge calls her on her attempt at a grift.

    • Megan says:

      She and Trump deserve each other.

    • Tourmaline says:

      Just saw the Us Weekly issue with her on the cover from a week or two ago—it included the interesting tidbit that she and Barron showed up at his school in their limo one day but whoopsy, the school was closed for conferences that day! But yeah keep ramming down our throats how she is the ultimate mother, its all about Barron, blah blah blah.

    • Jaded says:

      And don’t forget those nudie pr0n pics spread all over Page Six. Oh, sorry, I mean “art photos”.

      • Sabine says:

        She is not a Lady and she never will be one.

      • SnarkySnarkers says:

        So is it only considered “slut shaming” when you like the person? Asking for a friend.

      • Scooch says:

        Slut-shaming is not a real thing because there is no such tbing as a slut to begin with. It is a vicious slur hurled at women by toxic insecure men, so quit trying to reclaim a word that was never ours in the first place.

      • msw says:

        UGH, don’t MAKE me defend Melania Trump here. Why don’t we pick on the stuff that actually matters? There is plenty to go on without going below the belt.

  2. kimbers says:

    ……….The single silent tear shed…………

  3. Dtab says:

    I cant decide whether she has resting b***h face or is actually just miserable….maybe a bit of both??

    • Chetta B. says:

      She always manages to look put out, pissed off or just plain stuck up. She doesn’t strike me as a warm person at all.

    • lucy2 says:

      I don’t think her face has “rested” in a long time. She’s pulled tighter than a drum.

    • jen y tonic says:

      Miserable and has had not very good work done. It floors me when I see very wealthy people whose surgery looks like hot garbage.

    • Ama says:

      Resting bitch face -the air between her ears just can’t process the information her senses are picking up.
      Sorry, but she is just plane dumb. She can’t shed her strong accent after so many years living in the USA, starting from a young age? Granted.
      But I never heard her make any refernce to what she apparently studdied! Nor does she sound like she can pull off a nice, charming conversation. She just doesn’t have it. No flavor, no brain. Just jewelery in her brain.

      • Lise says:

        Those who learn a language after puberty will have an accent. And I think you mean “plain”, not plane. I am not a fan of the current FLOTUS, but there is much to say without having to shame her for having an accent.

      • Ama says:

        I am not shaming the accent per se. I get you. English is not my mother tongue (as you could maybe imagine with my embarassing “plain” mistake). So I can tell you firsthand how it is to learn a language. I spend one year in the US and had a brit. boyfriend for 6 years. Apparently I sound british now, but now my English is “plane” rusty 😉 Anyway:
        With all that money Melania has, she could get rid (or soften) this accent with a good teacher. It would sound more professional. And it’s not like she has a cute french accent. Well, that is what I would do in terms of language skills with all the oppotunity she has. What does she do? Whants to build her own business for beauty products, like that’ s what the world needs, the 1001 beauty product line. What a original bussiness idea! Staying with my words: Melania is just plain, plain dump, and an opportunist.
        And, let’s not forget: This is celebitchy here! Let us bitch and vent!

  4. Sharon Lea says:

    Didn’t Ivanka launch her clothing line sometime in 2011, why was Melania so slow on the uptake? Its shocking to think Melania wanted to launch a line while in the White House. They seem to have no shame in their game.

    • lightpurple says:

      She wanted to attach the First Lady tag to it. The Smithsonian sells a whole line of Jackie Kennedy stuff modeled on things Jackie wore as First Lady. What this idiot doesn’t understand is that she cannot profit from it.

    • Arpeggi says:

      Would it be even legal for a FLOTUS to have a clothing/product line of some sort or to be “the face” of a brand? I know the whole family is just pilling conflicts of interests over another and don’t care about ethics, but this couldn’t work. So she’s not losing any money/opportunities since she wouldn’t be allowed to sign the deals in the first place.

      • vauvert says:

        Oh, the rules are for peasants. I mean, if POTUS gets away with being his own landlord and profiting from it, if they plan to open more hotels to capitalize on the presidency, if Mar-a-Lago doubled fees, and they’re taking calls to make new deals in foreign countries, why shouldn’t poor little Melania, supermodel, architecture graduate, speaker of five languages (she should pick one other than English for her rare interviews, as she sounds terrible) and mother of the year not profit as well?
        #vomitinducing

      • Ama says:

        Vauvert! You nailed it for me in terms of celebitchyness of the day!!! 🙂
        Can’t wait until she comes to Germany and Melania can show off her German skills!!!! Or when in France….

      • Agapanthus says:

        I’ve always felt the only way to truly disempower this ‘family’, ie Trump, Melania and Ivanka, is to hit them where it hurts and boycott their businesses. All of them.

    • Christin says:

      She had a jewelry-watch line featured on a home shopping network a few years ago.

      I don’t remember the exact year(s), but it was at least one face ago.

    • Anitas says:

      Yeah, like we’re supposed to believe Trump would let her make any mega business deals that would rival Ivanka’s.

      • Ashamed 2 b a Fl girl says:

        Yes! Ivanka got the upscale, high-end, fine jewelry line and Melania got QVC watches.

  5. Neelyo says:

    ‘Remember when our biggest worry was that Sarah Palin and her grifter family got the RNC to pay for a bunch of fancy clothes??’

    The Palins are Annette Bening in THE GRIFTERS and the Trumps are Angelica Huston.

  6. MD1 says:

    To be honest, why do we expect her to show up for a job (FLOTUS) that pays zero dollars? I am as horrified by the Trumps as anyone else reading here, but while FLOTUS is a very important position it is a glaring example of female labor that is completely unpaid. It’s sexist.

    • TheOtherOne says:

      Really? Is this comment serious are you bring facetious? Please tell me facetious.

    • SilverUnicorn says:

      Did Michelle Obama complain though? Just curious.

      • LinaLamont says:

        No. She hated every minute of being First Lady. She and her daughters had the most disgusting, vile, base things said about them. MO did her job without complaining. I, personally, hate the antiquated sexist notion of the First Lady, but, there were some who tried (and succeeded) to break the mold.

      • Dee says:

        She didn’t, But is that really germane to the philosophic question ???

      • Melly says:

        @LinaLamont
        I don’t find the position of first lady to be inherently sexist. The office of the first lady can promote change in the country and have an immense impact. If you only want to do the bare minimum and only show up to look pretty at social events, that’s not sexist, that’s your choice.

    • Esmom says:

      Why do we expect her to show up? Um, maybe respect for the institution? The opportunity to have a HUGE platform for important causes? I don’t disagree that maybe the role is outdated and sexist but Melania COULD attempt to redefine it instead of just dismissing it as much as she has. And not all important roles need to be paid ones, especially for a family that’s supposedly already rich. The simple fact that she/they can’t recognize this is pretty appalling.

      Not to mention the fact that I don’t think Bill Clinton had any issues with becoming the First “Man.” I can imagine he had lots of ideas about how he could contribute.

      • Shirleygail says:

        If the wife is “First Lady” then wouldn’t the husband be “First Gentleman of the United States?) FGOTUS?

    • LilyTheKid says:

      FLOTUS is a very important position – why? For the life of me I don’t understand why we’re paying so much attention to the spose of the President.

      • Dee says:

        I completely agree!

      • Frida says:

        This. FLOTUS is a sexist position and puts irrelevant value on the president’s “marriage”. I believe it’s one of the reasons so many politicians end up in sham marriages in the first place. I’m not a Melania fan, but I do think it’s obvious they have a shit marriage and live separate lives, so she shouldn’t feel obligated to step into a position she is only “qualified” for because she married an orange dictator.

    • Locke Lamora says:

      “FLOTUS is a very important position” – but why is it important? Why is the partner of the President who did not get elected so important?

    • Frida_K says:

      Horrified?

      I’m horrified by what the current occupant of the White House is doing.

      • MD1 says:

        I was not being facetious nor am I am apologist for the Trumps. (Honestly, hair-trigger much???) I am a feminist who is bothered by the fact that we expect First Ladies to work for no pay. Of course Michelle Obama did not complain because she is awesome and was the best FLOTUS ever but shouldn’t she have been paid for all the amazing work she did?

    • MD1 says:

      I was not being facetious nor am I am apologist for the Trumps. (Honestly, hair-trigger much???) I am a feminist who is bothered by the fact that we expect First Ladies to work for no pay. Of course Michelle Obama did not complain because she is awesome and was the best FLOTUS ever but shouldn’t she have been paid for all the amazing work she did?

      • Luca76 says:

        From a feminist POV I get you but it’s completely inappropriate for a family member of an elected public servant to get a salaried position .(not that it would stop these people). There’s plenty of precedent for someone other than a presidential wife to step in for First Lady duties. For instance Eleanor Roosevelt had no time for planning State Dinners and such so she passed those duties along to her daughter while she did other work.

      • Locke Lamora says:

        “for a family member of an elected public servant to get a salaried position” – why? Our former First Lady was a university law proffessor who continued working while her husband was President. Our current First Husband ( Gentleman?) also. Why would that be problematic in the US? I mean, I get if she was selling First Lady merch or someting, but any salaried posititon?

      • Annetommy says:

        Do you mean the Michelle worked as a law professor while FLOTUS? First I’ve heard of it.

      • Luca76 says:

        I’m not disagreeing that we’ve had many capable First Ladies. Or that the concept of a wife solely as a ceremonial host is steeped in misogyny. I still think it’s a tough sell considering all the financial benefits that a President gets in their lifetime to convince the public that the First Lady needs a salary. If anything the president needs to be unsalaried also.

      • Melly says:

        From a feminist POV, you can support your spouse (who has one of the most important position in the world) while still being a feminist. From a feminist POV, you can use a position of power (paid or unpaid) to further important causes. From a feminist POV, sometimes doing the right thing doesn’t come with a financial reward.
        Just saying.

      • jwoolman says:

        Annetommy- different country.

      • MinnFinn says:

        It bothers me too MD1. It’s time for the role of first spouse to evolve to where the public has no expectation of them doing anything. Turn all the East Wing tasks over to paid staff.

    • Luca76 says:

      I tend to agree that she doesn’t have to preform the duties but someone needs to be doing this stuff. She never put together a staff the tours apparently are in backlog because theirs a skeleton crew in place etc. They should have figured something out by now.

      • MD1 says:

        Indeed. The East Wing is completely dark at present. There simply is not a staff that has been hired. (WTF?) Also, the NYT has reported that Trump’s staff meets in the dark in the evenings because they cannot figure out how to turn the damn lights on in the board rooms. (Literally.)

      • Luca76 says:

        Yeah I ve read about the light switches. It’s such a small thing but tells you everything you need to know.

      • AnnaKist says:

        Because she’s **taking her time in order to get things right**, you guys! To me, it’s strange that the law suit was filed against DM – I heard about these rumours (cough) a long, long time before August, and it wasn’t on the DM. I wonder what Piers Morgan thinks about this, since he’s been nauseatingly gushing about Trumplestiktkin and Family.

    • Lena says:

      But nowadays you could also have a first husband, who also would not get paid. If anything the discussion should be if the position in general is problematic since they are unelected and it’s very unclear what kind of duties they fulfill and should be abolished, but I don’t think not getting paid is the real problem. The potus position is also very much underpaid if you compare it to other salaries, but the idea is that the whole family does the job not for material gain but out of public service (though in reality of course the money comes afterwards with books, speaking engagements and so on, and a First Lady can take advantage of that as well).

    • Dee says:

      I agree with you. The whole concept of FLOTUS as a formal role in our government is outdated and completely founded in a centuries old mindset. Regardless of the sex of the POTUS (or spouse)………the spouse wasn’t elected, didn’t seek office, and really should be largely immaterial to the work of presidential administration.

      It needs to be rethought. And maybe Melania feels similarly haha

      • MD1 says:

        Agreed! And LOL to the notion that Melania’s refusing to act as FLOTUS has anything to do with a feminist stance on the matter! 😉

      • Dee says:

        Oh I think she agrees completely but her reasons aren’t feminist-mindset related ! She just doesn’t want any part of it, Can’t say I blame her much…

      • Ange says:

        I agree also. It seems weird to have ‘the wife’ be so front and centre and actually doing work when, you know, they aren’t running and were not elected. In many, many other countries the partner might show up for the odd photo opp and take on some charity work or patronages but they certainly aren’t taking on a huge administrative role and most of the time you forget they’re there. And I love Michelle Obama don’t get me wrong but it is a bit of a weird thing.

    • S says:

      Yes, because if there’s anything that we all know Melania Trump is all about, it’s a strong commitment to feminism. 🙄

      • MD1 says:

        You can dislike Melania Trump intensely but that doesn’t change the fact that there is a feminist analysis to be made with respect to the FLOTUS position.

      • S says:

        From a woman whose only career is golddigger and is fine with spending $30-$50 million dollars a year of taxpayer’s money, of which she and her wealthy husband are not, on keeping her away from D.C.? Whose only announced plans as First Lady involve decorating a residence she never plans to live in, building a “glam room” and which designers will dress her? ROFLOL

        GMAFB, vapid reality stars like Paris Hilton or Kim Kardashian have better feminist cred than Mrs. Trump the Third.

        Oh and, as for the “feminist argument to be made,” there is a human argument to be made that we, as people, do things for our partners (of any sex), and society as a whole, for reasons other than money. First Lady is no longer just a decorative position. It may not come with a paycheck, but it has a ton of benefits, both personal and professional, including a salaried staff, official duties and significant international influence to promote and advance whatever causes are close to your heart on the world’s largest stage … An opportunity that many (most) public servants, which is what the president ultimately is, embrace, because it’s the right thing to do.

        But, for the record, I don’t give two ticks if Melania never does a day of traditional, or non-traditional, First Lady “work;” If she never makes a single appearance, or promotes a single cause. Seriously, I have no issue. But, stop wasting MY money, since I am a federal tax payer, unlike the Trumps, and MOVE TO THE (already beautifully decorated) WHITE HOUSE already. Stay in seclusion there for his entire term for all I care, just stop wasting money and inconveniencing millions to suit your personal whims … That’s a good enough FLOTUS performance for me.

      • MD1 says:

        I agree with everything that you are saying. I was simply trying to question unpaid female labor and the expectation (that we take totally for granted) that the First Lady will be doing a bunch of unpaid labor. Feminism doesn’t just apply to people you like personally or agree with politically.

    • supposedtobeworking says:

      I completely understand what you are saying here. I think the FLOTUS position is one of service. Traditionally, presidents were men who had served their country in conflict, so their mantra and guiding star would have been ‘to serve’. I think military families often buy into that culture, which is why the wives have always taken up their role of serving the country as FLOTUS. With the last few Presidents lacking that experience, and their wives having their own careers and working to older ages (i’m thinking Laura Bush versus MO – Laura was older when they came into the WH, so closer to her own retirement), I bet you see the conversation emerge or change.
      The other side of the argument too, is if the spouse was working, there would always be an opportunity for perceived or real conflict of interest. If Michelle had continued with her law practice, she would have been targeted for special treatment. Melanie wants to start a fashion empire, she gets shredded for being an opportunist. I’m not sure how the role will come to develop (especially if business men/women, who have tons of conflicts of interest, take office over career politicians) in the future.

      • Lightpurple says:

        Laura Bush quit working when she got married, decades before she went to Washington, even years before she became a mother. I’m not even sure she worked long enough to qualify for Social Security. So no, nearing retirement age was not a factor in the Bush decision on her role.

        The main reason presidential spouses do not continue with other employment is conflicts of interest. Marilyn Quayle, Hillary Clinton, Lynn Cheney, Michelle Obama, and Jill Biden all left their employment when their husbands took office.

      • supposedtobeworking says:

        @Lightpurple – thanks for that info.

    • Merritt says:

      Trump doesn’t believe women should be paid anyway. He has made that very clear. Why should his wife be any different? And while the position of FLOTUS may be without a salary, she is now living off the taxpayers. In her case more than a past FLOTUS because she doesn’t live in the White House thus costing more money in security. And there will continue to be excuses after the school years ends for why Melania and Barron are not moving into the White House.

      • someone says:

        What are you saying?? You can dislike Trump but recognise the fact that he’s always had women working for him in leadership roles. I doubt if they would have worked for him for free..Sometimes the hyperbole here is just crazy.

    • Elisa the I. says:

      I guess this focus on the wife of the president is very much a US thing? I don’t even know who the wives of the president / chancellor in my country are. They are not in the spot-light at all.

    • Cran says:

      @MD1 Melania has filed a defamation suit claiming she is unable to profit from her position as FLOTUS based on an article that claimed she was a paid escort. I take issue with the fact that she is monetizing her role as FLOTUS.

      People have commented that as she did not campaign to be FLOTUS she should be given a pass. That claim is demonstrably false. She has given speeches in support of her husband to become POTUS most notably in her PLAGARIZED speech at the RNC

      She did not attend the funeral of the Navy seal who died in the Yemen raid. Ivanka took her place. Yet she found time to attend the Red Cross ball at Mar-a-lago. A ball which has been held at that location for a number of years so NOT a State event.

      Millions of federal taxpayer dollars are spent on secret service protection for Melania and her son to remain in NYC. This is separate from the millions of dollars NYC taxpayers are on the hook for to furnish protection.

      The White Visitors Center remains closed because it is not staffed. This is under the aegis of the East Wing which is the responsibility of FLOTUS. So the White House is closed to the public. Spring breaks, Easter vacations are coming up. Times that people will be looking to come to Washington, D.C. To visit. At present anyone looking to tour the White House is out of luck.

      Melania is totally being paid by virtue of taking full advantage of all the perks available to the FLOTUS and she needs to put in the work.

    • Ama says:

      Flotus can have an actual job if she hase one already, as far as i know. What keeps her and what has she been working on so feverishly? What keeps her??? Trophy wive is not a job!

    • Lexie says:

      FLOTUS doesn’t get paid because she was not elected. She can hardly be nominated by the President for any position because it would be nepotism. FLOTUS also can’t refuse the role. So it’s not so easy as it being simply a case of sexism.

  7. PunkyMomma says:

    Where’s Melania’s flag pin?

    • Shambles says:

      HA.

      The OUUUUTRAGE because Hillary didn’t wear a flag pin to the debates. Those were the simple days.

      Never mind the fact that she coordinated all 3 of her debate outfits to match the colors of the American flag, because’s a g*d damned gangster. That’s too complicated for the wee attention spans of the alt-right and their people.

    • tmot says:

      IK, R?
      She’s not even attempting to try to be FLOTUS. That’s Ivanka’s job and everyone knows it.

    • Ama says:

      You guys (& girls! Hihi!) !!! THIS! We should all get Twitter accounts ( I don’t have one yet, I have to admit) and we troll/spam Dunald the Dump with questions and snarky remarks like that!
      Where’s Melania’s flag pin?
      Where’s Melania’s flag pin?
      Where’s Melania’s flag pin?
      ….

  8. Patricia says:

    No use doing a design overhaul in the White House honey, your ass won’t be in there very long because your dear husband is going to be impeached.

    She’s the least aspirational First Lady in my own lifetime, by far. Michelle was someine I would look to as a role model. Who on earth would look to Melania?

    • Dlo says:

      You do know Bill was impeached but still stayed Pres

      • Patricia says:

        Ugh I hate when people say “you do know…”, such a condescending way of saying something.
        But regardless yes of course I know. Impeachment is the first step toward removal from office. Excuse me for not saying “he’s going to be impeached, tried, and removed”.

        I’m a history teacher. I know the deal.

      • supposedtobeworking says:

        Bill was impeached for lying about sexual behaviour, not for torpedoing your country, its relationships, Executive Orders and generally being a dumbass about governance. I think there might be a different fallout for Trump if there are grounds for impeachment.

      • holly hobby says:

        Bill’s issue was he couldn’t keep it in his pants and he lied about it (personal issue that does not affect the country). Orangino wants to set the country on fire, dismantle the three branches of govt, sleep with the enemy (Russia) and basically establish a dictatorship. Two very different issues. His impeachment would stick.

  9. Jenns says:

    So. Do people still feel sorry for her now?

    • Frida_K says:

      Nope.

    • minx says:

      Not. At. All.

    • MellyMel says:

      Hell no.

    • Pandy says:

      Not at all. She knew what she set herself up for. But at least it’s just one john now.

    • Original T.C. says:

      Many of us have preached until we were hoarse that Ivanka, Melania, and KellyAnne are not victims of Trump but just as shady as Trump with the same agenda. One of the problems in feminism is that feminists tend to infantilize all adult White women as being victims without any agency or brains. There is never an attempt to step back and really analyze the situation on a case by case basis.

      Ivanka has been on TV for years as her father’s mini-me. She is her father’s favorite because she thinks just like him. Melania was barely a model with no legal status who jumped on her first chance to marry a rich old man like many other male and female hustlers. Trump had run for office like multiple times before she even married him but apparently we are supposed to see her as this poor victim of circumstances who lives in the 1880’s locked up in a tower with no food and unable to divorce her husband.

      Furthermore she is some super mom that loves her child more than any First Lady ever and Trump will take her son away from her if she leaves him. Inspite of the fact that Trump has repeatedly said he doesn’t care about his kids until they are adults and leaves child rearing to their Moms. Even Moms who left him. Stop infantilizing these women and see them with clear eyes. Feminism is the equal treatment of men and women NOT viewing White women as all victims. That’s patronizing at best. Treat them just as you treat Trump’s sons.

  10. robyn says:

    Interesting! Yep … looks like she had BIG plans to profit off being First Lady. The entire Trump enterprise is riddled with conflicts of interest. Is the ethics committee asleep? He/she seems to get away with everything. Planning to take financial advantage of her role as FL and at the same time not showing up for work leads me to believe she should be fired. Incidentally, I wouldn’t be interested in a single garment, piece of jewelry or perfume she aims to promote. To me it all stinks!!!

    • Kitten says:

      The ethics committee knows they’re still on the chopping block. They’re probably terrified right now because they know Paul Ryan is still gunning for them.

  11. Betsy says:

    Natalie Jones is out https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/reliable-source/wp/2017/02/06/natalie-jones-steps-out-of-consideration-for-white-house-social-secretary-job/?utm_term=.4b542330754a

    Melania has the enormous privilege to be First Lady, and what does she do? Hikes down her undies and takes a poop on it. SUCH a classy move from the party that said Michelle wasn’t being appropriate with her sleeveless dresses. Oh and likened her to any number of primates (because that’s not a dog whistle).

    I never again want to hear that Republicans are good people.

    • Squiggisbig says:

      I was just going to say the same thing about Natalie Jones. Smart move on her part because she wasn’t exactly being placed in a position to do a good job.

    • Dlo says:

      You are putting every Republican in the same basket. There are many who not only opposed the new President, but continue to be appalled. Quit projecting

      • Who ARE These People? says:

        And we hope those appalled Republicans are joining Democrats and Independents in opposing this Presidency and working for better candidates and outcomes in the 2018 election. If you have it.

      • Annetommy says:

        With a few honourable exceptions, most of them are very quietly appalled….

      • steerpike says:

        Republicans are getting put in the same basket because they are not speaking out against what is going on. Look at what the Republicans in congress are doing. They are confirming every one of Trump’s corrupt/unqualified appointees. Are their constituents calling them to tell them not to? If Republicans want people to know that they do not condone Trump’s corruption, they need to speak up a little more strongly.

      • Liz says:

        There are a small handful of good Republicans. A respectable number of former NSC/State Dept/DoD types have been very public about their opposition to Trump. I may not always agree with their assessments of foreign affairs, but they do know what they are talking about in this case. Even John Woo (yes, that John Woo who authored the memos that said waterboarding was legal) is saying Trump’s foreign policy is a mess and dangerous for the world. That said, most of those who are speaking out have jobs that are not reliant on the current administration’s benevolence – they are retired, successfully published authors, tenured university professors, etc. They have the ability to speak out and not have their livelihood threatened.

        However, until the GOP Congressional Leadership starts publicly pushing back at the White House, most Republicans are going to be tarred with the same brush.

      • Disco Dancer says:

        DLO where are those so called conscientious Republicans? Haven’t seen them much since their party got control of all 3 branches of the government and are now setting the entire world on fire.

  12. S says:

    They’re not even subtle about their kleptocracy. Pictures of Trump’s DC hotel — a blatant violation of both his own lease, and the Emoluments Clause — doctored to look like the White House is right outside the window, calling “Mar-a-Largo” the “Winter White House” and then doubling the cost of golf memberships there, spending more money in a month than the Obamas did in 8 years on protection/vacations, charging the Secret Service to us their facilities. Using taxpayer funds to do Trump business over and over. Planning to lower his own taxes — if he paid any — and those of his closest/wealthiest friends and families an average of $10 million (yes, $10 million — that’s the cut the richest 1,400 Americans will get if Ryan-Trump get their way) per year, changing bank regulations to benefit himself and his companies. Holding companies hostage by tanking, or raising, their stock via random Twitter posts, which he, or his immediately family, could easily be personally profiting off of. I could go on and on. … It’s just an endless, mind-blowing grift of epic proportions unlike anything the U.S. has ever seen or, apparently, knows how to deal with.

    • boredblond says:

      Amen. It’s ridiculous to think she wouldn’t want to profit or she wouldn’t try. It’s safe to assume she would use her position and the WH resources to promote her crap (that’s already been done by daughter whoozit) We the taxpayers are paying for the son’s protection right now as they travel on company business (why hasn’t the press reported on the millions being spent on his family?)

    • siri says:

      The name “Winter White House” wasn’t invented by Trump, but by the press reporting about presidents leaving for their winter vacation residence. They used this description first for Nixon’s Florida White House. Trump just designated Mar-a-Lago his official winter residence.

  13. lightpurple says:

    Oh, please dear Lord, may some Daughters of the Confederacy get its collective nose out of joint because its planned trip to tour the White House has been canceled due to Melania’s failing to get her office together to approve the tour and may they all go berserk calling their congressional representatives to rectify this situation by impeaching that Melania’s husband.

    • Esmom says:

      Wouldn’t that be great? Maybe this could be the key to Trump’s ouster, haha.

    • TotallyOld says:

      Funny you should talk about DAR. A co-worker of mine is a lifelong member of CAR (Children of American Revolution) both she, her husband and two daughters make the pilgrimage to Washington DC every year for last 18 years (yes daughters are in college, almost grown) They would be highly offended if they couldn’t take their annual WH tour. So sad, I’ll remind her of that when I also remind her that’s what happens when you vote for a monster. She and her fellow junior league members maybe will be offended enough to fight back….no that’s not going to happen, they will make excuses for both the Donald and Melania. Now that’s sad.

  14. Frida_K says:

    ““It has only been a short time since the inauguration, and the First Lady is going to go about her role in a pragmatic and thoughtful way that is unique and authentic to her,” said Stephanie Winston Wolkoff”

    Ha ha ha ha ha ha, now how long did it take for Ms. Wankoff to come up with such a steaming load of poo? And does she really think that we, the public, are going to snap it up like it’s a pair of shoes she’s flogging on the pages of Vogue magazine?

    Try again sweetie, cause this one was a bigly fail.

    p.s. Notice how Melania’s husband, aka the current occupant of the White House, shoots his mouth off in an instantaneous stimulus-response pattern and signs executive orders without looking and “plans” raids in foreign countries at the dinner table while Melania, for her part, is “pragmatic and thoughtful.” Well. That, or she’s slowly but surely digging in her heels and doing her best to play the role of refusenik in this farce.

    *snorts*

  15. Locke Lamora says:

    Well, I hope she sues the living hell out of the Daily Fail because of their sexist and xenophobic claims, no matter the reason behind it.
    But I’m not surprised they were horrible to her, God knows they hate Eastern Europeans.

    • vauvert says:

      Locke, I was born in Eastern Europe (Romania) and I have encountered the type of prejudice you reference. I also hate the DM and never read it. In this case though, I hope she sues them only because I would love to see evidence presented in court that actually proves she was an escort / date for hire.
      I believe it – not because of her nationality, but because of what she has done before and after meeting Trump and marrying for money. My thought process?
      1. She was going to make her visa / immigration status public. Did not happen, just like her husband’s taxes. The reason is that she was in the States without proper documentation.
      2. The “supermodel” claims are as false as her architecture degree. She did model, but was nowhere near as successful or famous as they are trying to make her look in the revised history of the Trump dynasty. So how exactly did she afford to live for so many years in NYC and attend the kind of parties where one hangs around millionaires? Oh… wait… Trump and his ilk would attend these parties where aspiring models would be present – for a hookup, a potential date or if lucky – a husband. I mean we see it with yachts in Cannes and parties in Dubai – lots of young pretty women made available for the pleasure of rich and famous men.
      3. After nabbing her meal ticket, what did this woman do other than spending his money? And I don’t just refer to a career, I mean did she do any social or charity work? Nope. There is no class, no desire to do anything remotely good / useful / productive.

      So, I have no problem believing that she supplemented the modelling with other activities. And she now wants to stay out of the limelight and DC because there are a lot of things she doesn’t want exposed. This suit is just typical Trump bullying, but I think the DM will settle since they are generally a trash rag whose readers love Trump, and after all Melania is a “good” immigrant – pretty, white and knows her place.

  16. Esmom says:

    It’s stories like these that reinforce my belief that Trump isn’t truly evil. Reckless and dangerous, yes, but I tend to think it comes from a place of profound ignorance rather than pure unadulterated malevolence (that’s Bannon). The Trumps are just so effing clueless, all of them!

  17. cerys says:

    The whole family seem totally clueless about the roles and responsibilities that come with their new positions. Or else they just don’t care?

    • Hazel says:

      Yeah, they’re always whining about how things take time, they’re just getting started, they’re new at this, & etc. Amateur hour is what it is.

  18. SusanneToo says:

    This is the sum total of the current @flotus account. That’s it, not one single other item on it, even though it says “run by the office of the first lady.”
    http://twitter.com/flotus/status/822942050899398657

  19. Qzie says:

    FLOTUS has a unique position in our country–think of all our First Lady’s have come to represent, and let’s think about their many contributions and work. None of them sold jewelry or perfume called “Michelle!”. Instead they promoted advocacy for their cause–Melania had said she wanted to work on bullying or was it cyberbullying? What is all that about?

    They better take care of that White House Garden. That is all I have to say about their venal behavior.

    I don’t feel sorry for any of the Trumps. To someone else’s comment, they aren’t evil. They are greedy, shallow people–thoughtless and misinformed. Meanwhile, Antarctica is falling apart…and Trumps’ anti-climate change pick for EPA is up for vote.

  20. Shambles says:

    It takes time to put together a team, she says.

    There’s an adjustment period to figure out what the f*ck you’re doing in the White House, her husband says.

    I am so overly done with this “learning curve” narrative we’re being fed in regards to Trump and the Trump-adjacent. He’s the mother f*cking president, for crying out loud. This is not his first real job at Bath and Body Works. We were subjected to 18 months of his horrendous campaign, I think that’s more than enough time to prepare.

    • minx says:

      Yes, he was supposed to be such a smart and savvy businessman. Why couldn’t he and his family hit the ground running? They had many weeks after the election to get up to speed. Melania just doesn’t want to do any of this and is going to stall as long as possible,

  21. S says:

    By the way, the Obamas didn’t redecorate the White House, behind pulling some pieces from storage/Smithsonian as all first families are entitled to do. Obama didn’t touch the Oval Office, besides adding the MLK bust (again, an item already in the collection) until he was there for over a year and a half, because he also vowed to PAY FOR IT HIMSELF.

    Trump doesn’t take the Presidential Daily Briefing, but he did spend hours pouring over look books and had the office redecorated, at taxpayer expense, on day one … And then immediately took the weekend off, other than whining about his nonexistent crowd size.

    Crickets from the Right who criticized every single damn thing the Obamas did as greedy and selfish.

  22. lucy2 says:

    LOL at this “she’s taking her time” narrative. She is wholly unprepared and uninterested in any of the duties – which sucks, because there are many people who would love to be able to help a cause or two that they believe in with the power and exposure of that office. All of the previous Flotuses (Floti?) had a clear focus and did a lot of work for their causes.
    It’s early in the presidency, sure, but Cheeto Mussolini had been campaigning for over a year. No one thought, hey, maybe she should set up a staff and program on the off chance he wins?

    • Christin says:

      We have such a lengthy primary-to-election cycle, plus nearly three months between day of election and inauguration. I don’t ever recall such a seemingly ill-prepared transition.

    • tracking says:

      Agreed. She is an embarrassment. Like her husband, she only cares about making money (they’re either two of a kind or she’s trying to earn his respect?) And, unlike Michelle Obama, she is not remotely overqualified for this position.

  23. mazzie says:

    Can she actually benefit financially from being FLOTUS?

  24. Lookit says:

    It’s a bad time to be filing lost revenue when Ivanka’s line was just dropped for non performance. I understand that people are all up in arms thinking that Nordstroms dumped the made in China rip-off because of her Father’s political shenanigans. But Ivanka was going coatless in below zero weather to try and drum up some free advertising for her line – not the act of a world class brand at all.

    This income may have been Melania’s ticket to freedom. At least Trump is in DC and she can enjoy some peace.

  25. my3cents says:

    Sadly she and her husband just see this whole presidency gig as a business venture.

  26. teacakes says:

    well, she may have had plans, but unlike Michelle Obama*, this one is no beauty/fashion icon and nor will she ever be, “supermodel” or not.

    *who in fashion terms, is the most influential FLOTUS since Jackie Kennedy

  27. adastraperaspera says:

    This is a continuing silent coup. Trump&bannon are keeping her out of sight until they succeed. RESIST!

    –Sick about just hearing DeVos was confirmed. Get ready for your tax dollars to go to “homeschoolers” for car payments and toys.

    • Deeanna says:

      Melania Knauss was never a “Super-model”. Who ever heard of her until she hooked up with Trump?

      Is there anyone who DOESN’T think Melania supplemented her “modeling” income with escort services? All the bios list her as dropping out of uni to go to Milan, Italy in order to further her modeling career. There is then a period of several years prior to her arrival in the U.S. that seem to be blank in terms of info.

      I hope the Daily Mail lawsuit goes to court as opposed to settling – it would be interesting to see what type of income Melania was reporting and who it came from during those years.

    • swak says:

      I’m sick. The only ones vouchers are going to help are those already sending their children to private school.

  28. Ninks says:

    First, and very probably only, time in history that I am on the side of the Daily Mail. Godspeed, you vile, racist toerag of a newspaper.

  29. jwoolman says:

    We don’t really know if she truly had big plans for profit. It sounds more like an argument for the court case showing harm done by the published article. Melania seems to just want to shrink into a tiny hole, that’s part of why she doesn’t want the whole FLOTUS bit.

    And yes, it is a sexist expectation that she is supposed to move to the White House to live in a sham marriage with a tyrant and that she is supposed to “do something important” as the wife of the tyrant. I recommend leaving her alone, let her live where she wants and do what she wants. Tell NYC to stop working for free and tell the Feds to tone it down as far as Trump Tower security is concerned. Those are the real problems, not Melania’s choices for herself and her son.

    And this problem will surface again because some day we will have an officially divorced President who is not the custodial parent or who is sharing custody and the Secret Service will have to divide its attention because the children they have to protect are not all going to be living in the White House all the time. Just as they have to protect the children in the White House on their way to school and at school, wherever they are, in DC or in NYC, and have to protect members of the family as it moves from place to place every day doing normal things. They can’t tie everybody up in the White House Basement for four years.

    Every time Michelle Obama went to various events for her projects around the country, it was disruptive to the locals and cost a pile of money in travel expenses and security operations by the locals and the Feds but somehow we survived. People are incensed about Melania staying in NYC only because they don’t like her and the Orange Maroon she is allegedly married to. So they blame her for the costs rather than blaming the plan chosen by the security people and accepting the idea that the Prez and the FLOTUS and the child are not always going to be in the same place at same time. We accepted that fact for the Obamas, who unlike the Trumps had a real marriage, and we need to accept it for the Trumps.

    • robyn says:

      Melania said she supports her husband 100 percent and I believe her. She supports his ideas but does not wish to inconvenience herself by going to the WH until the kid is finished his term.

      Melania appears to hate the US the way her husband hates the US. Trump shows his contempt for America by talking down the free press, free speech and the justice system. He prefers the Putin dictatorial style of running a country to democracy. So-called president Trump is making America the laughing stock of the world and more unsafe by the day. If he wants only people who love America to be in America, he should quickly remove himself.

  30. PettyRiperton says:

    You would have to be a complete idiot to have ever felt any sympathy for this woman.
    Ivanka is the “first lady” everyone knows this.
    Yes republicans youre all in the same basket I have yet to see any of you step up and speak up against this mess.

  31. Madame de Stael says:

    Remember, it’s not about service to your country, it’s about service to yourself. Ask not what you can do for your country, ask how much you can rip off the country for.

  32. Trump Sucks says:

    This family of grifters is not even trying to hide the fact that they consider the White House

  33. Mezz_Dame says:

    I feel like Melania is throwing down… It’s your move Duchess Kate. This will be the “work shrug off” competition to last a lifetime…

  34. Anare says:

    I am a lowly government employee who was taught early on that because I work for an elected official in an agency with a perception of having some power, that I must hold myself to a higher standard and NEVER use my position for my own gain or try to profit off of it in any way. That was made clear to me on day one and I have never forgotten it. Am I just being naive to think other government employees have those same standards? President Obama did.

  35. Deeanna says:

    This story is making the mainstream media since The Idiot tweeted this morning about how badly Nordstrom’s is treating daughter Ivanka by dropping her clothing line.

    I honestly believe that Trump has mental issues. Nobody could be this stupid or this much of a continuous asshole. Or could they?

  36. Bread and Circuses says:

    Personally, I think these are both Trump’s lawsuits, and he slapped Melania’s name on them.

    He’s the one who’s too insecure to let anyone even muse that his kid’s not neurotypical; he’s the one who with a decades-long history of extracting money from anything, even when it’s legally dodgey.

    In his eyes, Melania is his prop, and his property. Of course he acts on her behalf.

    I doubt she gives a damn, except to appease Baby-fists.