Melania and Donald Trump’s public outings are usually closely watched by American media and observers who try not to miss any opportunity to speculate about the state of the couple’s relationship.
This time, they widely scrutinised a filmed moment between the two when the president and the first lady were posing for photos during their visit to the Saint John Paul II National Shrine in Washington, DC this week. According to The Recount, a political news site, Donald Trump was the one to ask his straight-faced wife to smile during the shoot, although his words are inaudible, and she really tried to do her best – an attempt that immediately sparked a flood of comments and memes.
Trump asks Melania to smile during today's photo op. pic.twitter.com/B59YeDHKRM
— The Recount (@therecount) June 2, 2020
Trump asks Melania to smile during a photo op. She couldn’t. pic.twitter.com/GqfFRF6ORH
— Saint Hoax (@SaintHoax) June 3, 2020
Can you smile?#Melania #Trump #WhiteHouse #OfficialWhiteHouseContent #CanYouSmile pic.twitter.com/pke9CHjTdR
— James Fitz (@TheBestFitz) June 3, 2020
— SmashMike (@Mikelennial) June 2, 2020
Many soon rushed to recall the first lady’s similar captured expressions or times when she allegedly did not want to go with her husband hand in hand, with many joking that the Slovenian-born former model was apparently held hostage by her husband.
Looked like a hostage video, although we know she’s just waiting out her contract.
— WaterBluSky (@MsMariaT) June 2, 2020
Well, speaking about body language... pic.twitter.com/E8CbICLpsO
— ricardo nirebi (@ricardonirebi) June 2, 2020
Would you smile? pic.twitter.com/rbBWhlHsl1
— ERod 🔨 (@ERodBuster1) June 2, 2020
— Gene Masseth, Bayard (@gene_masseth) June 2, 2020
Earlier Melania Trump dismissed rumours about discord in her marriage when asked by ABC reporter whether she indeed loved her husband despite the claims that he cheated on her with porn actress Stormy Daniels just several months after their son Baron was born.
But her “not always correct” phrasing did not quite convince the picky audience.
“I have never seen less chemistry between two people,” one of the netizens commented on the recent video.
But as some may say, haters gonna hate, and there are those who will always find some grounds for gossip.
