It seems that Melania Trump has yet to warm up to the holiday spirit.
The first lady, 55, spent two minutes and 50 seconds welcoming the arrival of the White House Christmas tree, hightailing it back inside the presidential residence after just a few handshakes and photo ops.
She circled the horse-drawn carriage carrying the first family’s Christmas tree, calling it “beautiful” before offering smiles to press photographers and walking back into the White House.
Melania has not been shy in her feelings around the holiday season.
In 2020, CNN published leaked audio of the former model from 2018, during her husband Donald Trump’s first presidential term, in which she complained about her holiday-season responsibilities.
“I’m working… my a– off on the Christmas stuff, that you know, who gives a f— about the Christmas stuff and decorations?” the first lady said. “But I need to do it, right?”
“OK, and then I do it and I say that I’m working on Christmas and planning for the Christmas and they said, ‘Oh, what about the children that they were separated?’ Give me a f—— break,” she added, referring to the family separation policy launched during Trump’s first term.
Melania’s holiday decor was widely criticized during Trump’s first term, with her choice of blood-red “American Treasures” Christmas trees drawing comparisons to the hues seen in The Handmaid’s Tale and The Shining.
The White House defended the odd choice, saying the distinct shade of red was in reference to the “pales, or stripes, found in the presidential seal designed by our Founding Fathers,” and is “a symbol of valor and bravery.”
In October, the first lady teased a gold-centric aesthetic for this year’s holiday season in a short video posted to X, much in line with her husband’s obsession with gold-leafed gaudiness scattered about the White House interior.
The White House did not immediately respond to request for comment Monday.
The arrival of the Christmas tree hints that Melania’s holiday decor will be fully revealed soon.
The Christmas tree was gifted to the White House by Korson’s Tree Farms in Michigan, which was crowned this year’s National Grand Champion tree grower by the National Christmas Tree Association.
Since 1966, the NCTA has selected the White House Christmas tree through a national contest of state or region-winning Christmas tree growers, with the Grand Champion earning the honor of adorning the White House’s Blue Room.
Korson’s Tree Farms is the first Michigan tree farm to earn the prestigious recognition since 1985. The tree was chosen by the White House’s superintendent of grounds, Dale Haney, in September.
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