After almost five months living apart, the Trump family is together again as Melania and Barron, finally and officially, moved into the White House this past weekend. Barron, 11, is the First Son to roam the manse and grounds since John F. Kennedy, Jr. amused the staff with his precocious antics, playing under his father’s desk in the Oval Office as well as roaming the manicured lawns with sister Caroline and their pony, Macaroni.
The Trump family disembarked Marine One late in the evening on Sunday. The president waved to the staff while holding his wife’s hand, and Barron walked alongside his parents, sporting a J. Crew T-shirt embellished with “The Expert.” The J. Crew website describes their retro T-shirt as “whatever his skill set may be, this is the T-shirt that identifies him as the expert.” It flew off the shelves and was sold out in a matter of hours. The First Kid moved in a like a boss.
The role of First Lady has evolved from one of fashion trend and mega hostess duties to advocacy of social issues. And the recent past of presidential spouses is replete with such examples. Barbara Bush campaigned for literacy, Nancy Reagan advised “just say no” to drugs, and Michelle Obama focused on health and nutrition, and single-handedly created a tidal wave of angry students advocating the return of tasty options to school lunches. Who knew kids would prefer pizza versus a whole grain tortilla and a cheese stick?
Critics have been quick to point out that FLOTUS has been slow in picking up the duties associated with being married to the leader of the free world. She has responded to those who question her job performance by explaining, patiently, that she is a mom first, and a public figure, second. Both Melania and President Trump agreed to do what was best for their son, allowing him to finish his school year, and not tossing him into a new school, with different social mores. Kudos to parents who put children’s interests ahead of their own.
Those who criticize the First Lady for having delayed the hunt and vetting of an acceptable and promotable cause, must have forgotten her declaration on the campaign trail, (complete memory wipe capsules are also sold out) as Melania, in several speeches, promised to devote her time to addressing and finding solutions, to online bullying of children. Taking on social media and their reprehensible complacency to this rapidly metastasizing scourge is an aggressive platform for anyone to combat.
Rest assured, Melania will pick up the pace and embrace her duties as America’s First Lady, hopefully silencing those who have fretted that our country was diminished by her absence for these past five months, and blazing a trail as an advocate for children’s issues. Meanwhile, Americans can observe “the Expert,” Barron, as he emerges into a trendsetting fashion icon, the likes of which this country hasn’t witnessed since Jackie Kennedy Onassis’ pill box hats.
Anyway you cut it, The Swamp is in for a First Family who is likely to do things “my way.”
