New York Magazine unearthed a 2002 cover of a publication for Valentine’s Day 'Singles' that features the present first lady of the United States planting a kiss on a firefighter.
According to the magazine, at the time of the photo the wife of the current US president was a little-known model named Melania Knauss, and that her appearance on the cover was her last for the publication.
The magazine revealed that Knauss was, at the time, dating Donald Trump, a notorious celebrity self-promoter. The model was reportedly hired for a cover paying homage to the 'first responders' the earliest rescuers at the horrific scene.
In 2002, we booked a model to pose on the cover of @nymag. We didn't know we'd hired the future First Lady of the United States. But we had.https://t.co/YNtdF93saS
— Christopher Bonanos (@heybonanos) February 27, 2020
The magazine explained that the idea of the pose was inspired by the iconic 1945 Alfred Eisenstaedt photograph of a sailor and a nurse smooching in Times Square on V-J Day.
“We did not, at the time, expect to be working with the future first lady of the United States,” the report remarked.
A few netizens were shocked, some responding with a wondering: “Whaaaaaat?”
Some Twitter users compared her life between 2002 and now, suggesting that the first lady was “happy back then”.
Hey @realDonaldTrump. I bet your wife has never kissed you like this!
— Blowfishes 🐡 (@blowfishes) February 28, 2020
So why haven't you put her on your cover now that she is FLOTUS?
— Juanita (@juanita59) February 28, 2020
Must have had a small budget for that shoot.
— cdraivpipds (@cdraivpipds) February 27, 2020
Well, this certainly explains how Melanie was able to obtain that H1-B Visa! Special skills on full display.
— D Dona (@DDona20) February 28, 2020
That memory of that kiss has had to last 18 years.
— Jon Maas (@jondmaas) February 27, 2020
Melania went from kissing that guy to kissing this.... wow the love of money is strong in this one. pic.twitter.com/UAYeuwGmN3
— Tan Digi (@tandigi) February 27, 2020
Omg what
— Olivia Nuzzi (@Olivianuzzi) February 28, 2020
She looks so happy there.
— Miles Kahn (@mileskahn) February 27, 2020
She modeled while on a student visa, a la “they took our jobs!” at some point.
— Brandy, fat broad who votes (@votecumby) February 28, 2020
wonder if we checked her working papers.
— chris smith (@chrissmithnymag) February 27, 2020
When "Hot & Nasty" booked Melanie, the editors didn't realize they were looking at a future FLOTUS
— Freakanatcha (@Freakanatcha) February 28, 2020
