On Thursday, Melania Trump made an unplanned, two-hour visit to the Texas border, where detained migrant children have been separated from their families and confined within cages due to decisions made by President Trump’s administration. After massive public outcry in the wake of the zero-tolerance policy, which led Trump’s hand to sign an executive order halting the practice, having the first lady pay a visit sends as good of a message as any.
Except for the jacket she wore while departing for the trip, which arguably showed the worst possible message.
When people across the country our pouring out their hearts (and wallets) at the plight of thousands of these kids stranded at the border, wearing an item of clothing that boldly states “I DON’T REALLY CARE” is tone deaf, at best. Mrs. Trump was similarly criticized for wearing stiletto heels to visit flood victims, and here we are.
After outrage began circulating online, Ms. Trump’s spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham was asked if the intent of first lady’s jacket was to send a message. “It’s a jacket. There was no hidden message,” Grisham replied. “After today’s important visit to Texas, I hope this isn’t what the media is going to choose to focus on.”
Well, good luck with that, because that’s pretty much the only thing people were focused on as of Thursday afternoon, as you can see from some of the ridicule and more heated reactions below.
Alternative jacket messages considered by Melania Trump: pic.twitter.com/GffzRhbJzO
— 🧈MeltLikeButta🧈 (@JWButta) June 21, 2018
https://twitter.com/KaivanShroff/status/1009881344590180354
https://twitter.com/JustSchmeltzer/status/1009876436532916225
Melania Trump's jacket is more honest than she or her husband.
— Mr. Newberger (@jeremynewberger) June 21, 2018
Here you go, Twitter: make your own Melania Trump jacket! We've gotten you started with an example…have fun! pic.twitter.com/jZClbiIKFK
— 🧈MeltLikeButta🧈 (@JWButta) June 21, 2018
melania trump is too old to be wearing clothes with words on them anyway. also she's a pile of garbage
— Dana DeArmond (@danadearmond) June 21, 2018
Melania Trump heading into some Andy Kaufman territory – the only hopeful thing I can think of
— John Lurie (@lurie_john) June 21, 2018
Melania Trump visiting a CHILD INTERNMENT CAMP and turning it into a photo-op is called being a CRISIS ACTOR.
— Power to the People ☭🕊 (@ProudSocialist) June 21, 2018
https://twitter.com/PalmerReport/status/1009878749427294208
https://twitter.com/Susan_Hennessey/status/1009833102682808320
During a cabinet meeting on Thursday, the president commented on his wife’s visit. “Our first lady is down now at the border, because it really bothered her to be looking at this and seeing this, as it bothered me,” he said.
Clearly.
(Via NBC News)