Perhaps the only person who looked more miserable at last week’s poorly-attended inaugural festivities other than Donald Trump himself was his wife, Melania. We’re 99.9% sure that becoming First Lady was definitely not on her list of life’s ambitions when she took her first illegal modeling gig after moving to America 20-some years ago. And yet here she is, thrust into a role neither she nor the majority of Americans ever wanted her to have.
Related: 14 “alternative facts” for the Trump administration to chew on
Now, a video has begun circulating on social media that may expose a crack in Melania’s otherwise meticulously manufactured facade. It happened during the opening prayer on Friday morning, as Franklin Graham was blessing Donald and his family. The Donald chose that moment to turn around and mutter something to his wife. What he said will probably never be known, but the shift in expression on her face speaks volumes:
How about we take this to the next level?
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Some have tried to suggest the video is fake and that someone reversed the clip; however, another shot of that same moment from a different angle shows that it, indeed, happened. If you listen to the audio at the :18 mark and watch Trump’s movements, it’s clear the clip was not doctored:
No “alternative facts” with this one, folks. We never thought we’d say this but… Poor Melania!
Related: The Trump effect: How American politics are ruining gay etiquette and making us meaner
AlexEf
Trump doesn’t love/like anyone and Melania know is. To be with him was her choice after all.
Kieran
The change of expression didn’t have anything to do with realizing that they were in the middle of a prayer?
Neonegro
thank you
Juanjo
Smiling while in a worship service is forbidden in Christianity? Damn am I glad I was not raised as a Christian.
Roan
No. It’s the result of the monster telling her “those towels better be hanging evenly on the towel bars when we get back to the White House.” Sleeping With The Enemy. What ever he said to her to make her go from smiling to cowering is chilling and clearly it’s not the first time. If you want to attribute it to reverence, so be it. Of course, you could be correct. He could have turned to her to say “wipe that smile off of your whore face, we’re having a prayer.”
1EqualityUSA
Roan, This comment is beyond awesome. Every word. They do not appear to be happy people.
keekee
While it’s tempting to see her as an innocent victim of her vulgar, insensitive husband… here’s Melania pushing birtherism in 2011… she sold herself & her soul… https://twitter.com/jackdrunyan/status/823406173760192518
Blackceo
BOOM!!!!! Yup. I was in the same “poor Melania” boat until I saw that video of her pushing her husband’s racist birtherism bullshit. So she can stew as far as I’m concerned. She knew what she was doing when she married his ass so she can be miserable. She knows her role even if she hates it. Bye Felicia!!!
Paco
Oh he probably threatened her with a “grabbing” later. I know that would quickly wipe the smile from my face.
Roy Moss
Make my heart break for Melania? Yeah, not so much. She’s a gold digging tramp that got what she bargained for.
MikeE
That change of expression is the change of a beaten woman.
Roan
100% this. The reports that have come out about the atmosphere in the White House this past weekend point to a raging man who uses power as a terror tool to keep people in check. They will do whatever it takes to make daddy happy, sparing no cost. Of course, they have their own agendas as well, and for the time being, they think they can just keep their heads down and work through it. It’s going to get old very fast. Raging phone calls after duty hours, when you’re home with the family. Urgent emails and catastrophes requiring your immediate presence when the emergency was he couldn’t turn the printer on. Or the frantic meetings to put out fires, only to have everything move in another direction when his short attention span wanes. We’ve all had those types of bosses. You know exactly what I’m talking about. I can guarantee 100% he’s no different with his wife. I feel sorry for the families of his senior staff, who will undoubtedly face the trickle down wrath caused by the stress of dealing with him. Yeah. Good luck with that.
1EqualityUSA
Roan, Again, you are on fire! Just when I think I’m worn down by attrition, your words hit home. It feels so unsafe right now. If my family were in the military, I’d be sick with worry for them. My prayers go out for the men and women serving. Our reputation is marred. When was plundering, might makes right, to the victor goes the spoils rhetoric ever acceptable?
woodroad34
Kind of that look Chris Christie had at that Trump rally.
Daniel-Reader
She probably just realized the hypocrisy of merchant-disguised-as-sanctimonious-dbag Franklin Graham blessing anything since religious leaders are forbidden by Jesus (Matthew 23) — much less their adultery (forbidden directly by the Ten Commandments) and the two divorces (forbidden by Jesus) that got them there. They should have really played the music from The Omen in the background.
Roan
I wish we had up votes! ^^
kookookachoo
me, too! (emoticon)
Jack Meoff
Heart break for Melania! I don’t think so. He may not love her but she doesn’t love him either. She was a high profile gold digger who has now got more than she bargained for. I bet she desperately wants out of that marriage but if she tried he would threaten her with legal action and she would get nothing. I would however love to see the media frenzy if she did leave him. It would be a total soap opera.
kookookachoo
She seems a nice and sweet lady. One should not blame her for the circumstances in which she finds herself.
IDoNotHaveToAgreeWithYou
Finds herself? She sold herself to him. She is not victim. She’s just a greedy ho.
Brian
It’s hilarious how Democrat weasels keep throwing up false claims about Donald. At least he is more gay-friendly than Bill Effing Clinton.
Bill Effing Clinton was too busy ejaculating on a blue dress to do anything substantive about gays in the military. Monica Shitinsky should have admonished him at the very least.
Bromancer7
Idiot. He did do something about gays in the military, he passed DADT, which prevented the military from conducting witch hunts and dishonorably discharging people without proof of their sexuality. Thousands of gays in the military were protected by DADT. Considering Bill had a republican congress that was never going to approve an outright ban on discharging gays in the military, DADT was an effective stopgap measure until such a time when it could be done. And guess what? It worked exactly as intended.
You think Trump is LGBTQ-friendly? I have the deed to a bridge in Brooklyn if you’re interested.
Roan
And GFY too.
kmoore
Donald Trump is 100% devoted to Donald Trump. He’s the most narcissistic person I’ve ever seen. Not saying the other Presidents were perfect by any means, but Trump has zero respect for anyone. If someone doesn’t agree with him he calls them names and belittles them publicly.
He even does underhanded things against his own party members. After his first try at getting rid of Obamacare he tweeted that everyone should watch a certain show on Fox. In one of the segments on the show the lady hosting it said that Paul Ryan should resign as speaker for not getting Trump’s health care legislation passed. So he didn’t say it outright that Paul Ryan should resign but he told people to watch a show on Fox where they say he should resign. Typical tacky tactics worse than any President in my time as a voter.
Sluggo2007
There is a certain price you pay when you marry for money.
woodroad34
Karen: So that miniature pony offered you all his money just to take a few rides on him and you said no?
Jack: But I don’t like him.
Karen: Since when is that a problem?
Jack: Well played.
[pause]
Jack: I can’t do it.
Karen: Oh you’ll do it. You’ll do it the same way any self-respecting woman does. Get on your back, point your heels to Jesus and think of handbags.
Xzamilloh
That prayer… Trump and Obama have that in common, them both being undercover atheists. Of course, Trump is an atheist because he would never bow to a higher power, especially a fake one.
Pertaining to this article, it’s been on Melania’s face since the beginning. She didn’t want this. She looks uncomfortable and it’s only going to get worse because now EVERYTHING she does will be under a microscope. Better make the best of it, girl.
1EqualityUSA
Let’s not be brutal. I don’t want her to attempt suicide. It is Trump and his policies that are concerning. Focus wrath on him. Insulting his wife won’t bother him, as she’s as objectified as his jet. It will only harm her and the youngster. Not right. What a strange circumstance for all of them. I can’t be fun. Trump tramples his family to get what he wants. No love there.
Roan
I couldn’t reply to your posts above. For some reason there wasn’t a reply button. I agree with what you are saying. I log in on Twitter everyday and all I see are tweets about “he did this” and “he’s doing that” along with extreme pearl clutching from everyone. My attitude now is “yeah, we told you that would happen.” So we can all clutch pearls and commiserate together. Or we can get involved. Or we can do both.
1EqualityUSA
Hit the reply button at the start of the mini-thread, then the comment drops down into place (I think). I feel as though I’m cooking in another person’s kitchen. Just realized wy the comment can’t be tallied, the mini-threads.
girldownunder
If Melania suicides, it’s a “win” for Chump- he’ll use the sympathy & go on the prowl for another. He has no empathy/sympathy/feeling/”soul”– he IS a personality-disordered narcissist. Not simply someone who thinks a lot of himself, but a dangerous sociopathic version. I know, as I was entangled with one for nearly three years & it was a nightmare to get away. Melania may be vain, but I don’t see that same level of nastiness.
Imho
miamistorm
I don’t know how many of the commentators on this page were victimized and beaten by union-backed NYC police officers at the Stonewall Inn and other bars during the late 1960’s. Just from the comments, it doesn’t appear many of you were. I will tell you from first-hand experience that the Democratic party said and did nothing while we gay people were beaten. Many even implied that it was actually deserved and brought on by gays themselves. When I and scores of other gay rights activists felt the sting of police batons upon our bodies there was a single major Democrat speaking up for us. I fought for gays to have the same rights as straight people not for special rights, just equal rights. Here we are nearly fifty years later and most gay people have seemed to forgotten these important facts. Democrats only interest in gay and black people was for their votes. Just look at the backflips Hillary and Barry performed on the subject of gay marriage. Sadly there are many gay people out there disparaging Donald Trump as anti-gay. That notion is not only unfounded, it’s as crazy as the idea years ago that gay people were trying to convert straight children into gay children.
Trump isn’t and never was a homophobe and he deserves the same chance to prove himself as we gay people demanded for ourselves from society back in the days of Stonewall. I know all too well what a homophobic politician is because I was beaten enough by their police enforcers and still have the scars to prove it. Just give Trump a chance before judging him, the same kind of chance the gay world was asking for even back then. Gay people are fair people, I know this because I’m a proud fair gay person.
GorgeousNotGeorge
Before you get on your high horse about history. Let’s look at the present, you mention Democrats and possibly HRC if she had won and giving a chance to Trump. His VP, the next in line to be President, supports Gay Conversion. All of the religious leaders that supported him and vice versa (he supports) are anti-gay. It is not only Donald Trump we are judging but also his current GOP friends, co-workers, cabinet and each decision they will be making affecting all of us Americans. No, he had several chances to prove that all of his talk was bluster to get elected. The man only thinks of himself and not this country. I sense that you are hoping for the best but Trump has already shown his true colors. No need to wait. As to Melania’s situation, Trump’s history with his other two wives should have been her warning but she preferred the money so she has to face the consequences.
Roan
GFY thanks.
mikede
Yea and show me one person in his cabinet that is pro gay rights His first action was to scrub the White house web site of LGBT. He has said that he will appoint a justice to overturn marriage equality. What has he done to give him a chance,? I think you were hit too many times in the head if that story is even true.
Roan
Oh, and your “Trump isn’t and never was a homophobe” comment? Go research Roy Cohn and what happened once he was in full blown AIDS. Describing yourself as “I know this because I’m a proud fair gay person” sounds like troll speak for someone pretending to be gay on gay message board. Troll or not, you are f’ed in the head. Have a nice day.
MikeGinMN
I disagree. I am not that old but unlike a millennia gay or even a y-gen gay, I DO remember a time when being gay could get you beaten by the cops. I grew up in the seventies and came out in the eighties and it was bad then too. I know that many old gay men and women are proud of what they did and what they went through in the sixties and early seventies. I can not, and will not discount or downplay your struggle. But what you went through and what you achieved DOES NOT give you a pass on downplaying what gay men and women have been fighting for ever since. To try to paint some kind of parallel between Democrats of today with Democrats of the sixties and seventies is unfair. Homophobia was mainstream back then, to openly support gay rights would have been political suicide. You state that we should give Trump a chance because he isn’t really a homophobe, that he isn’t going to come after our hard fought rights. BS! I have listened to Trump and the rest of the republicans, their aims, their agenda, is quite clear to anybody with half a brain. You try to criticize Democrats for half hearted or slow action when it comes to LGBT support. I say BETTER LATE THAN NEVER… A you will NOT get ANY support from ANY republican politician. The gay right movement may have started at the Stonewall but they did not end there. From the look and sound of the republican party it will never end.
When I hear people like yourself try to make appeals to “give trump a chance”… it sickens me. I am reminded over and over again to the quote….
“First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me. ”
I will heed the words of Rev Niemoller as he spoke about his experience with the Nazis.
I WILL SPEAK OUT!
I will also hold this quote… this truth… close to my heart in the coming years.
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” – Edmund Burke
miamistorm
This line should have read: When I and scores of other gay rights activists felt the sting of police batons upon our bodies there WASN’T a single major Democrat speaking up for us. I fought for gays to have the same rights as straight people not for special rights, just equal rights.
1EqualityUSA
Troll.
ryantbo
Nope Don’t feel sorry for her in the least
arthurb3
Bless her heart! (what we say in The South when we see something like this!)
tomk1of1
It is obvious that they have a stressed relationship. But my first thought with this video was that they realized it was prayer time a s quickly became serious, she bowed her head and both were serious.
I’m not in disagreement with the idea generally. But this vid is about praying ,,,I think..lol..
tomk1of1
I’m so tired of the superstitious bullshit we attach to everything. Ahhhhhhh
OzJosh
She married him. She’s defended him. She’s made (plagiarised) speeches in his support. She hasn’t flinched in the light of pussy-grabbing, romps with Russian hookers and slights against immigrants like herself. No Sympathy is deserved.
MikeGinMN
I am not a fan of either Donald or Melania Trump…. but there is something very disturbing about this clip.
That was not the look of a woman being chastised by her husband, that was the look of fear. What did he say to her? We the people are NEVER going to know… at least from the Trump camp.
I want to feel bad for Melania, but as a few others have also stated here, she made her choices and now she has to live with them… at least until Donald gets tired of her like his other wives.
John
Hmm, maybe the stress of the media and Dem haters over analyzing her every every blink, smile, move and Trump turns to her and says “”they are watching” and she goes “oh shit”.
Dems basically have only cared about gays for $$$$ (donations) and votes. Pandering at its best. Example: 2012 When the gay donations were down from 2008, he MIRACULOUSLY was in favor of gay marriage, but still did nothing (thank goodness The Supreme Court stepped up to the plate) The following week they went after womens donations/votes. “O” women aren’t as energized as 2008, toss’em a bone…rolled out “Lily Ledbetter” though we already the Equal Pay Act that they -eh weren’t enforcing.
I truly don’t trust either partye both non-profit businesses racking in big bucks (most likely ran by an even bigger company that owns them both.)
1EqualityUSA
They can’t do it with looks alone.
1EqualityUSA
At least the people are the ones donating and not corporations.
silveroracle
Shame there wasn’t a camera pointing the other way so we could try and lip read what he was saying to her.
He BGB
I didn’t really give her much thought (unlike other first ladies, their husbands who value the first lady’s thoughts) until I saw her on an old interview arguing her husband’s birther BS (OBAMA Not born in US). Then I realized how dangerous she could be like him spreading misinformation. So I don’t feel sorry for her.
1EqualityUSA
When Trump blurts out something mean, he processes it afterwards, and you’ll see his mouth open unnaturally wide a second or two later. Watch, next time he says something biting.
batesmotel
Well gossip mongers just calm down. There is also footage of her smiling and having a good time on that same day. It was obviously a super long day. Something you wouldn’t know anything about.
1EqualityUSA
That’s a good one, mr.bates.