In 2018, Stephanie Winston Wolkoff recorded Melania Trump bitching and moaning about her First Lady duties around the holidays. Wolkoff wrote a book, which was published in 2020, about her friendship with Melania and working for Melania in the White House’s East Wing, which does not exist anymore. In 2018, Melania told Wolkoff: “I’m working like a — my ass off at Christmas stuff… You know, who gives a f–k about Christmas stuff and decoration? I say that I’m working on Christmas planning for the Christmas, and they said, ‘Oh, what about the children?’ That they were separated…Give me a f–king break… Where they were saying anything when Obama did that?” (Note: Mel’s claims about the Obamas are false.)

All of which to say, Melania doesn’t give a f–k about any of this. I’m surprised she’s even trying to do regular First Lady bullsh-t, especially given that her husband demolished the White House East Wing, which traditionally housed the offices and holiday-entertaining spaces for any FLOTUS. But Melania still feels the need to pretend to care about Christmas stuff. On Monday, Melania welcomed the official White House Christmas tree. This is the tree which goes up in front of the White House, and traditionally there’s a lighting ceremony and everything. I just realized that Melania no longer has any space for her Christmas blood trees given the demolition of the East Wing.

It’s not very cold in the mid-Atlantic right now – we’re having an especially mild autumn, and it was in the 60s in Virginia and DC yesterday. At my favorite park, people were jogging in tank tops and shorts. There was no need for Melania to wear elbow-length leather gloves and a bulky coat, other than Melania wanting to coordinate with the sign on the tree carriage.

Photos courtesy of Backgrid.