During a recent stop in Iowa, President Donald Trump offered an unexpected glimpse into his private life and the name he affectionately uses for his wife, Melania Trump.
Speaking at a “Salute to America” event on July 3, Trump paused his remarks on military enlistment to recount a recent conversation with the First Lady.
“I remember saying to our great First Lady,” he said, then laughed. “I call her ‘First Lady,’ isn’t it terrible?” Trump explained that even in their most intimate moments, including just before bed, he keeps the formal title in place.
“I say, ‘Good night, First Lady, my darling,’ because it reminds me that I’m president. That’s why.” The revelation sparked laughs at the event but also raised eyebrows online. Trump doubled down, however, saying he commented on a discussion about the military’s struggles with recruitment.
© JIM WATSON“I said, ‘First Lady, it’s terrible. Nobody wants to join our military force.’” Melania, meanwhile, was on the other side of the country, spending time with young patients at the Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C.
© Chip SomodevillaThat same day, she decorated a healing garden with kids, handed out goodie bags with teddy bears in “Be Best” T-shirts, and even introduced a new flower: the ‘External Flame’ yellow rose donated by the White House. She also shared a light moment when asked if she liked golf as much as her husband.
© Win McNamee“No, I don’t play golf,” she laughed, “but I used to.” Melania’s Fourth of July plans included joining Trump at the South Lawn to host a military picnic and watch fireworks. Afterward, the couple was expected to retreat to their Bedminster estate in New Jersey.
Just before heading to Iowa, Trump and Melania met freed Gaza hostage Edan Alexander in the Oval Office. Trump said Melania had taken a special interest in the hostages. “The First Lady, it was very important to her,” he told the Alexander family.
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