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Media waste no time going after Melania Trump, but in the oddest way possible

Fresh from bringing us stories like "Hailey Bieber Is Reviving the Pantless Trend in 2025" and "Let a Pair of Zany Sunglasses Revive Your Winter Style," Vogue writer Hannah Jackson decided to rip into First Lady Melania Trump’s official White House portrait.   

"The choice to wear a tuxedo—as opposed to a blazer or blouse—made Trump look more like a freelance magician than a public servant. It’s perhaps unsurprising that a woman who lived in a gold-encrusted penthouse, whose fame is so intertwined with a reality-television empire, would refuse to abandon theatrics—even when faced with 248 years of tradition."  

The problem for Jackson is that the rest of us have eyes. Melania Trump looked incredible in her portrait. Her outfit rang business with a feminine touch. This isn’t the same woman we knew during the first Donald Trump administration. She has a look of resolve in her eyes that she didn’t before. She has seen how nasty people can be, and she’s ready to take them all on. She will look beautiful doing it. 

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Vogue and its staff didn’t seem to mind the collapse of 248 years of tradition during the last administration while the president pardoned his family and his staff covered up that he was mentally incapacitated. But a tuxedo jacket they simply cannot abide! 

It’s not because Vogue doesn’t cover non-fashion issues either. In 2020, they had pieces sympathetic to defunding the police and in summer of 2024, they featured First Lady Jill Biden on their cover, shortly after President Joe Biden’s disastrous debate that ended his candidacy, and fawning over Jill Biden when she was getting massive criticism for celebrating his debate performance.  

There’s no denying that Melania is a fashion icon, but in this populist moment she is that specifically for the people. When she wore skinny jeans and a beanie on day two of the new Trump administration, the internet exploded with joy that skinny jeans were officially back. She sets trends and Vogue can’t stand it.  

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Vogue’s outburst is particularly because they’ve lost so much influence. Their echo chamber conversations about fashion don’t resonate with the rest of us. Who is wearing the absurd looks on their pages? No one. But skinny jeans and a beanie we understand, and Melania’s outfits are both glamorous and accessible. Vogue hates that. The whole point of their fashion world is to leave people out. Who wants the masses wearing the wildly expensive and weird clothing they promote? They certainly don’t. 

During the first Trump administration, Vogue was criticized for never putting Melania Trump, or Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump, who was then in the administration, on its cover. The former model would have been a natural choice, but Vogue magazine is home of the ultimate mean girls, and they like it that way. Anyone who doesn’t agree with their liberal politics is out, of course. You have to march in lockstep, or you don’t get in the club. They wear pink on Wednesdays and no, you can’t sit with them.  

But things have changed and now no one wants into their club. They’ve lost influence and they know it. It’s a different time and the people who have spent the last four years bullying others into using specific language or having just the right positions are no longer in charge. 

A different Vogue writer, Christian Allaire, spent time attacking Ivanka, who is not in this administration, for her inauguration ball gown, saying "Given politicians often embed their outfits with powerful or meaningful choices—see Dr. Jill Biden’s patriotic wardrobe in shades of red, white, and blue—Trump’s wardrobe appears to be built on artifice and aesthetics instead." The most artificial and aesthetically obsessed magazine in the world should really think twice about criticizing "artifice" in others.  

Things have changed in America since 2016, but Vogue hasn’t gotten the memo. Jackson added that "Melania Trump still struggles with sartorial messaging." The rest of us get her message loud and clear. Only Vogue is struggling to understand. 

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Melania Trump's life with President Donald Trump: See the photos

Melania Trump is back in the White House as America’s first lady for a second time — but her life and legacy go beyond her duties as the commander-in-chief's wife.

She made a name for herself even before she met President Donald Trump, when she stepped foot on United States soil at age 26. 

Born Melania Knauss, she came to America from Slovenia in 1996 with "youthful confidence."

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"As an adult, there comes a moment when you become solely responsible for the life you lead," she writes in her bestselling memoir, "Melania."

"You must take charge, embrace that responsibility, and become the architect of your own future."

Two years after living in Manhattan, the future Mrs. Trump met the real-estate mogul, Donald J. Trump, at a party while she was still deep into her modeling career.

"He wanted my number, but he was with a date, so of course I didn’t give it to him," the first lady said in a 2016 interview with Harper’s Bazaar.

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"I said, ‘I am not giving you my number; you give me yours, and I will call you.’ I wanted to see what kind of number he would give me — if it was a business number, ‘What is this? I’m not doing business with you.’"

The future president gave her all of his phone numbers, from numbers at Mar-a-Lago to his New York home — and within a week, she gave him a ring.

"I was struck by his energy… He has an amazing sense of vitality," Melania Trump told the magazine.

The next few years involved the finalization of Trump’s second divorce and a brief split between the happy couple, but they eventually reunited, she has said in interviews. 

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In 2004, Trump proposed to the future first lady at one of the biggest nights in New York City: the Met Gala.

The next year, the Trumps said "I do" at a most luxurious wedding, which was publicly described as being fit for royalty — from the stunning gown worn by the bride to the exquisite reception at Mar-a-Lago.

While the  $100,000 Christian Dior wedding gown, 10,000 flowers on display and chefs serving caviar with Cristal champagne may have been highlights of the evening, Melania Trump said she felt like any other bride when she walked down the aisle.

"Although my wedding was grand in scale … what I felt in my heart was what every other bride feels on her special day. The pressure to ensure everything went smoothly was certainly real, but ultimately, my primary focus was celebrating Donald and my love and commitment, surrounded by my loved ones," she wrote in her memoir.

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On March 20, 2006, the first lady gave birth to the couple's son, Barron William Trump.

In the midst of raising Barron, she continued to find other ways work, inorder to set a good example for her son.

"It’s very important that we show our children that we are working, too. To give them an example [of] how life is," she said in an exclusive interview with "Fox & Friends." 

"That they see us as productive. We have ideas and these ideas come to life," she said. 

After 10 years of raising her son, being the wife of a business mogul and working on her own endeavors, a new title was added to her long list of achievements: first lady of the United States.

She said she had no idea she would become a prominent figure in the political spotlight when she came to America. 

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"I think nothing prepared me more to be first lady in front of the world than the fashion industry… It's glamorous, but it's at the same time very tough," Melania Trump shared in her interview with "Fox & Friends."

"Everybody judges you, [looks] at you a certain way … It can be a mean world as well. So nothing prepared me more for this world than fashion. It gives you a thick skin."

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During her time as first lady, she has been an avid supporter of America's military, saying, "Supporting our military is a fundamental belief of mine," Fox News Digital previously reported.

Her love and respect for this country was also clearly on display as she worked to preserve the executive mansion, seeing it as her way of "contributing something lasting and beautiful to the American people, transcending politics and partisanship."

Having already served the country in this role, she knows what is expected of a first lady. 

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That previous experience is an advantage she will be able to use for the next four years.

"I have much more experience, much more knowledge. I was in the White House before. So when you go in, you know exactly what to expect. You know what kind of people you need to get," she told "Fox & Friends."

She has an understanding of this role and said she's filled with great pride — writing in her memoir that she has a "stronger sense of duty to use my platform as first lady for good."

President Trump, Melania board Air Force One for first time in 4 years, photo shows

President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were photographed Friday boarding Air Force One for the first time in four years. 

Trump and his wife — who was wearing a green jacket and aviator sunglasses — were seen getting onboard the aircraft at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.  

The president is heading to North Carolina to survey damage from Hurricane Helene last September. 

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"We're going to North Carolina. It's a horrible thing, the way that's been allowed to fester. And we're going to get it fixed up. Should have been done months ago from the hurricane that took place almost four months ago," Trump told reporters after leaving the White House. "North Carolina has been treated very badly." 

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"So we're stopping there and we are then going to go to Los Angeles and take a look at a fire that could have been put out if they let the water flow but they didn't let the water flow, and they still haven't for whatever reason. So, I think we're going to have a very interesting time," Trump added. 

Trump was last photographed stepping off Air Force One on Jan. 20, 2021, while Joe Biden was being sworn in as president that day. 

Barron Trump is all grown up: A look at the first son's transformation from 2017 to 2025

President Trump's youngest son Barron, 18, stepped into the spotlight at his father's inauguration on Monday.  

Standing at a towering 6'9", many attendees and viewers remarked about how mature the younger Trump has become since his father first took office back in January 2017.

At 10 years old, Barron Trump was often the victim of cruel jokes and rumors from his father's critics. His mother, Melania Trump, attempted to shield him from unwanted scrutiny, though sometimes to no avail.

On Monday, the first son commanded respect from onlookers as he stood by his father's side during the inaugural ceremonies. Here's a look at how Barron Trump has grown up since 2017.

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At 10 years old, Barron Trump became the first son to reside in the White House since John F. Kennedy, Jr. in 1961.

Barron, who turned 11 in March of 2017, also lived at Trump Tower in New York at the same time, attending Columbia Grammar and Preparatory School on the Upper West Side.

Beginning in 2016, rumors swirled about Barron Trump possibly having autism, which comedian Rosie O'Donnell amplified. In 2024, Melania Trump said that the rumors deeply impacted her son, who was bullied at school.

"I was appalled by such cruelty," Melania Trump wrote in her memoir. "It was clear to me that she was not interested in raising awareness about autism. I felt that she was attacking my son because she didn’t like my husband."

"There is nothing shameful about autism (though O’Donnell’s tweet implied that there was), but Barron is not autistic," she added. "Barron’s experience of being bullied both online and in real life following the incident is a clear indication of the irreparable damage caused."

Barron turned 12 years old in March 2018 and continued to be a common target for Trump's enemies.

Actor Peter Fonda called for officials to "rip Barron Trump from his mother's arms and put him in a cage with pedophiles." He later apologized for the remarks.

"I tweeted something highly inappropriate and vulgar about the president and his family in response to the devastating images I was seeing on television," Fonda said in the statement shortly after. "Like many Americans, I am very impassioned and distraught over the situation with children separated from their families at the border, but I went way too far."

Barron was 13 years old when his family permanently relocated to Mar-a-Lago in 2019. That year, Trump said he would have a "hard time" allowing his son to play football.

"I just don't like the reports that I see coming out having to do with football — I mean, it's a dangerous sport and I think it's really tough," Trump said at the time. "I thought the equipment would get better, and it has. The helmets have gotten far better, but it hasn't solved the problem."

During a 2019 House Judiciary Committee impeachment hearing, Stanford law professor Pamela Karlan remarked that then-President Trump could "name his son Barron, he can’t make him a baron."

Melania Trump was upset that her young son was mentioned at the hearing.

"A minor child deserves privacy and should be kept out of politics," the first lady tweeted at the time. "Pamela Karlan, you should be ashamed of your very angry and obviously biased public pandering, and using a child to do it."

As Trump was fighting for his re-election bid in 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic rocked the United States, Barron Trump continued to attend school and stayed out of the public spotlight. In 2020, "Jeopardy" host Ken Jennings apologized for a joke he told about Barron in 2017. 

"Barron saw a very long necktie and a heap of expired deli meat in a dumpster," Jennings tweeted at the time. "He thought it was his dad & his little heart is breaking."

"Hey, I just wanted to own up to the fact that over the years on Twitter, I've definitely tweeted some unartful [sic] and insensitive things," Jennings wrote in 2020. "Sometimes they worked as jokes in my head and I was dismayed to see how they read on screen."

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Barron Trump was 14 years old when his father left office in January. He lived with his mother at Mar-a-Lago full-time and stayed out of the spotlight.

In July 2021, he was seen leaving Trump Tower with Melania Trump.

Barron Trump was 16 when FBI agents raided his father's Florida estate. He kept a low profile during this year, but he was seen in public with both of his parents at the funeral of Ivana Trump, Trump's first wife, in July 2022.

In November 2022, his father announced his bid for the presidency.

As President Trump's campaign kicked up again in 2023, Barron was still absent from the public spotlight. In August of that year, his father's mugshot was released.

Barron Trump matriculated at New York University (NYU) in the fall of 2024. He graduated from Oxbridge Academy in West Palm Beach in May, and was seen attending classes at NYU'S Stern School of Business.

In November, he also voted for the first time, casting a ballot for his father in Florida.

Barron looked sharp as he attended his father's inauguration on Jan. 20. Later during the day, he waved to the crowd after his father mentioned his role in the 2024 campaign.

"I have a very tall son named Barron. Has anyone ever heard of him?" Trump said to cheers, as the first son waved at attendees.

"He knew the youth vote. You know, we won the youth vote by 36 points… He said, ‘Dad, you got to go out, do Joe Rogan, do all these guys,’" Trump recalled. "We did, we did. And Joe Rogan was great."

The 18-year-old also wowed attendees when he shook hands with President Biden and then-Vice President Kamala Harris, with some social media users speculating that he may pursue a political career in the future.

"Barron Trump just shook hands with Joe Biden and Kamala Harris," one X user wrote. "This kid will be our President one day. Bet on it."

"Barron Trump is a natural," another said of Barron. "Totally owned the moment."

Fox News Digital's Brooke Curto and Kyle Schmidbauer contributed to this report.

Melania Trump, Amazon partner to release new film about her life in theaters worldwide

Amazon Prime has exclusively licensed a documentary film for global theatrical and streaming release that will give viewers an "unprecedented behind-the-scenes look" at First Lady Melania Trump's life, Fox News Digital has learned. 

Fox News Digital has learned that the project is expected to be released globally in theaters and for streaming use in the second half of 2025. 

Filming for the upcoming documentary began in December 2024. The documentary will be executive produced by First Lady Melania Trump and Fernando Sulichin of New Element Media, with Brett Ratner of RatPac Entertainment serving as director. 

Prime Video is expected to share more details on the project as filming progresses, and will release plans when finalized, Fox News Digital has learned. 

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"We are excited to share this truly unique story with our millions of customers around the world," an Amazon spokesperson said in a statement. 

The announcement comes just weeks before Mrs. Trump will return to the White House as first lady of the United States of America. 

It also comes months after the release of her first-ever book, "Melania." The memoir presents an intimate portrait of Melania Trump and includes personal stories and family photos she had not previously shared with the public. 

"Melania" has been at the top of the New York Times’ best-selling list since its release to the public. 

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In November, just days after President-elect Trump was elected the 47th President of the United States, Mrs. Trump also rolled out a digital photography series to highlight her life on the 2024 campaign trail and at home. 

Trump told Fox News Digital in an interview last year that if she had the privilege to serve as first lady again — which she will, beginning on Jan. 20, 2025 — she would continue to prioritize initiatives focused on the well-being and development of children to ensure they have the "support and resources they need to reach their full potential." 

"My focus would continue to be creating a safe and nurturing space for children to learn, grow and thrive," she said.  

During the first Trump administration, Mrs. Trump hosted virtual roundtables on foster care as part of her "Be Best" initiative and focused on strengthening the child welfare system. She worked with members of Congress on legislation that secured funding for grants awarded to youth and young adults currently or formerly in foster care to help pay for college, career school or training. The bill ultimately was signed by then-President Donald Trump in December 2020.

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Since leaving the White House, the former first lady has also created special edition Non-Fungible Tokens. A portion of those proceeds also went toward her initiative "Fostering the Future" to secure educational opportunities and scholarships for children in the foster care community.

"Fostering the Future" students are currently enrolled in multiple colleges and universities across the country, with areas of focus primarily on technology and computer sciences. 

"Writing my memoir has been an amazing journey filled with emotional highs and lows," Mrs. Trump told Fox News Digital last year. "Each story shaped me into who I am today." 

She said that "although daunting at times, the process has been incredibly rewarding, reminding me of my strength, and the beauty of sharing my truth." 

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