First lady Melania Trump’s office has released her official White House portrait, a black-and-white photo that appears geared toward setting the tone for her return to Washington.
Taken by Belgian photographer Régine Mahaux, the photo shows the first lady in a Dolce & Gabbana tuxedo, standing with her hands placed on a reflective desk, the Washington Monument out of focus behind her. Her gaze is trained directly at the camera.
The first lady’s portrait — and specifically, the pose she struck — has been compared online to various powerful female characters in movies and television shows. The image is also a departure from her first official White House portrait in 2017, when she was photographed in color with a faint smile and her arms crossed.
The image is also a departure from her first official White House portrait in 2017, when she was photographed in color with a faint smile and her arms crossed.
Her new portrait is presumably meant to convey a sense of power and control after a tumultuous first stint in the White House. At times, she seemed to abhor the scrutiny that came with the high-profile role and appeared reluctant to participate in some of the traditions associated with it. She has shunned criticism of several of her controversies as first lady and, like her husband, has talked openly about her disdain for the media.
Since then, Melania Trump has taken on a more proactive stance in cultivating her public image. She released a memoir in October and has an Amazon documentary about herself planned for release later this year.
This time around, the first lady has appeared to embrace her second stab at the role from the get-go. One week before the inauguration, she told Fox News that she was already packed and ready to move into the White House. She has also said that she plans to revive her “Be Best” campaign and that she will hire staff who won’t have “their own agenda.”