5 times Melania Trump broke away from White House’s long-standing traditions when she was first lady

5 times Melania Trump broke away from the White House's long-standing traditions as FLOTUS

When Melania Trump stepped into the White House in January 2017, she became the first naturalized citizen to become a first lady and the second to be born outside of the United States. The Slovenian-born former model-turned-wife of real estate mogul Donald Trump was known for defying decades-old traditions followed in the POTUS' abode. During her four-year stay as the FLOTUS, Melania chose to do things differently than her predecessors, refusing to play by the rules. Here are five instances where she broke traditions as the first lady. 

1. Solo arrival at the 2018 State of the Union

It is a longstanding tradition for the first lady to accompany her husband, the president, for his annual State of the Union address. However, Melania Trump chose not to accompany Donald Trump to the 2018 State of the Union address and instead showed up alone. This led to speculations of marital strain, as the 2018 SOTU was the couple's first public appearance together since reports of the then-president's alleged affair with Stormy Daniels surfaced. However, Melania's aide said she arrived alone because she had to accompany special guests from the White House.

2. Melania Trump's atypical fashion diplomacy

Since the John F Kennedy administration, first ladies have followed an unspoken tradition of choosing American designers to dress themselves during official appearances at state dinners or visits to foreign nations. Melania Trump, on the other hand, ditched fashion diplomacy on several occasions in favor of prominent European luxury brands such as Fendi, Dior, and Dolce & Gabbana.

3. Not accompanying the Japanese PM's wife on a tour of the capital

When former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his wife, Akie Abe, paid a visit in February 2017, Melania Trump did not accompany Akie on a tour of the capital. As per tradition, the first lady usually takes the spouses of foreign leaders on a tour of Washington, DC. However, the Japanese prime minister's wife visited Gallaudet University and joined a scheduled meeting for the National Cherry Blossom Committee at the Japanese embassy without Melania. In contrast, her predecessor, Michelle Obama, joined Akie for a local elementary school trip and hosted a state dinner during the couple's 2015 visit. 

4. Slow actions to champion her signature initiative

Upon entering the White House, Melania Trump decided to focus on combating cyberbullying. However, her initial months as the FLOTUS showed little progress in action. On the other hand, her predecessors, including Laura Bush and Michelle Obama, had well-defined causes which they worked for in the White House. While Bush focused on literacy, Obama championed support for military families and tackling childhood obesity. Melania launched the "Be Best" campaign, focused on advocating against cyberbullying, in May 2018. However, a 2020 Siena College Research Institute assessment of the first ladies' signature initiatives ranked "Be Best" as the worst. 

5. Melania Trump and Donald Trump allegedly slept in separate bedrooms

Journalist Michael Wolff's 2018 book 'Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House' claimed that Melania Trump and Donald Trump slept in separate rooms in the White House, making them the first couple to do so after former President John F Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. According to Newsweek, Wolff wrote, "Trump, in fact, found the White House to be vexing and even a little scary. He retreated to his own bedroom—the first time since the Kennedy White House that a presidential couple had maintained separate rooms."