In her role as First Lady, Melania Trump has always been relatively quiet. Sure, she attends the odd event with President Trump, and last month revealed her "Be Best" campaign for children's well-being, but - in the grand scheme of things - she's often more recognised for staying out of the spotlight than being in it.
Indeed, she very rarely comments on policy and has given very few interviews during her time in the White House.
"She is clearly not comfortable revealing too much of herself," said Kate Andersen Brower, an expert on former First Ladies in the USA. "And while we should respect her privacy, it makes it difficult to relate to her, or to feel like we know her at all."
This weekend, however, the FLOTUS offered a rare statement on her husband's immigration policies.
In a statement given via her communications director, Stephanie Grisham, Melania expressed her distaste at Trump's recent actions towards illegal immigrants and asylum seekers.
"Mrs. Trump hates to see children separated from their families and hopes both sides of the aisle can finally come together to achieve successful immigration reform," Grisham said yesterday. "She believes we need to be a country that follows all laws, but also a country that governs with heart."
The First Lady, was, of course, referring to recent immigration deterrent tactics that have seen thousands of children being separated from their parents and put in internment-style camps after attempting to enter the USA without the proper legal documents.
Since May of this year, every single adult found to be crossing the border illegally has been charged with a federal crime - whereas before they were referred to immigration courts. This change in policy has made it possible for the Trump administration to detain young children, and the government has admitted that the decision to do so was made in order to dissuade other immigrants from entering the country under similar circumstances.
Despite this, President Trump has maintained that the Democrats are to blame for the current treatment of immigrants.
"The Democrats are forcing the breakup of families at the Border with their horrible and cruel legislative agenda," he tweeted. "Any Immigration Bill MUST HAVE full funding for the Wall, end Catch & Release, Visa Lottery and Chain, and go to Merit Based Immigration. Go for it! WIN!"
Later on, he added:
"Democrats can fix their forced family breakup at the Border by working with Republicans on new legislation, for a change! This is why we need more Republicans elected in November. Democrats are good at only three things, High Taxes, High Crime and Obstruction. Sad!"
Melania herself is an immigrant, of course (and was given American citizenship under very rare circumstances), and so may have a degree of empathy for non-Americans that the rest of the Trump administration cannot seem to fathom.
Now that she has spoken out on the issue for the first time, however, we may be able to expect more political involvement from the First Lady. She is unlikely to butt heads with her husband on too many matters, obviously, but this is at least a start.
