Melania Trump’s final moment as First Lady ended in a way that many expected it would: with one more moment of “casual contempt” for her husband, Donald Trump. After Melania, 50, and Donald, 74, touched down in Florida on Wednesday – after the Trump’s gauche decision to skip President Joe Biden’s inauguration, the twice-impeach Trump paused to greet his supporters on the tarmac. With black sunglasses and no desire to interact with the public, Melania left quickly walked away, which left some fans laughing at her coldness. “Melania said: My contract to pretend ended 7 min ago.”
Melania is totally done. She already quit posing.
https://t.co/BRoBardBgx— Diego E. Barros (@diegoebarros) January 20, 2021
Apparently There was a special message for the “Anti woke” written in code on Melania’s dress, but nobody could work it out. I did, it says “fuck off, am away, let it go” pic.twitter.com/W7tUDlMWWT
— Janey Godley (@JaneyGodley) January 21, 2021
“Who knew Melania had such excellent comic timing,” others remarked. “Melania is totally done. She already quit posing.” “Melania is finally free.” “If ‘I ain’t got to do this sh-t anymore’ was a person.” While those few who remarked about Melania’s “Exit…Stage Left” assumed she was trying to distance herself from Trump, Talking Points Memo founder Josh Marshall had a different take. “I love that many people still see Melania’s moments of casual contempt for Trump as signs she too knows Trump is evil and is some kind of sullen captive, perhaps even a cryptic member of the resistance, when in fact she’s also evil but just doesn’t like Trump.”
I love that many people still see Melania’s moments of casual contempt for Trump as signs she too knows Trump is evil and is some kind of sullen captive, perhaps even a cryptic member of the resistance, when in fact she’s also evil but just doesn’t like Trump.
— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) January 21, 2021
Melania’s apparent disdain didn’t stop at just her husband. Much like how Trump broke a 152-year tradition of attending his successor’s inauguration, Melania reportedly refused to help onboard the new first lady, Dr. Jill Biden. While it’s not an official part of the First Lady’s duties, the “tour and tea” tradition dates back to Bess Truman and Mamie Eisenhower in 1953. Melania also reportedly outsourced her “thank you” notes to the White House residence staff, allegedly tasking a “lower-level East Wing staffer” to write up her letters in her voice.
“They say I’m complicit. I’m the same like him, I support him. I don’t say enough I don’t do enough where I am,” Melania once said about Donald Trump in a (secretly-recorded) conversation with her former senior adviser and friend, Stephanie Winston Wolkoff. The convo, released in conjunction with Wolkoff’s tell-all, depicted an exasperated Melania, one who was flustered with the constant criticism and expectations of being First Lady. Thankfully for Melania — as of Jan. 20 — she will never have to worry about those duties or deal with those pressures ever again.