Melania Trump's portrait sparks debate with magician analogy
The official portrait of Melania Trump as the First Lady of the United States has garnered widespread attention globally. Now, it has been thoroughly analyzed by Hannah Jackson, a fashion journalist for "Vogue" magazine. She compared Donald Trump's wife to... a magician. What did she mean?
Melania Trump officially became the First Lady of the United States on January 20, 2025. This is the second time she holds this symbolic role, as her husband, Donald Trump, was the President of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
On January 28, the official portrait of the First Lady of the United States was published on the White House's social media. Melania Trump is seen wearing a Dolce & Gabbana suit, continuing her previous fashion choices. However, this time she opted out of jewellery, which—according to the media—emphasizes her independence and confidence.
The fashion journalist mocked Melania Trump
The portrait was taken in the Yellow Oval Room, one of Melania's favourite places. Its author is Regine Mahaux. A discussion, as well as comparisons, emerged on social media. One such comparison was likening Melania Trump to Claire Underwood, a character from the series "House of Cards".
Now, the portrait has been analyzed by Hannah Jackson, a fashion journalist for "Vogue" magazine. In her article, she did not spare criticism for the First Lady of the United States, suggesting that she did not present herself appropriately for the position she holds.
The sober black-and-white photograph by Régine Mahaux features Trump, the Washington Monument towering over her shoulder, resting her fingers on a reflective black desk and staring down the camera as if to say, "You’re fired." Indeed, Trump looked more like she was guest starring on an episode of The Apprentice than assuming the role of first lady of the United States - reads the article.
She then decided on a surprising comparison of Melania Trump to a magician.
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, she added.
