First Lady Melania Trump marked the Fourth of July with her husband, President Donald Trump, during a public appearance on the White House balcony - but their celebratory moment has captured more unwanted attention.
The couple appeared together as the POTUS signed his ambitious “One Big Beautiful Bill” into law, a sweeping package of tax and spending cuts.
Following the event, the pair were seen on the balcony embracing and even sharing the now-famous “Trump Dance”, in a lighthearted moment. However, some critics of the couple have been vocal over one particular moment.
As President Trump hugged and kissed his wife -smiling and waving at onlookers - some viewers on social media weren’t convinced the affection was mutual.
“Wouldn’t sharing a kiss entail both to participate?” one commenter asked, while another added: “Look at her hands pushing him away."
“She’s taking one for the team… not sure what team… but the team,” another joked, with a fourth tweeting: "They both look uncomfortable and not credible."
“She instinctively pushes back, her body tensing as she tries to create distance,” added another viewer. “Her eyes dart away, deliberately avoiding his mouth.”
Other users rushed to the comments to defend the duo, with one person saying: "Lol well if you have ever been married and know what its like to pull your wife in for a kiss. She either puts her hand where hers is or she puts it on the shoulder. And if she tries the shoulder. Her arm is in the picture. Lol yall are something else. Her smile tells me everything."
Another supporter tweeted: "Her smile looks real, she's enjoying the moment. You all try so hard to see things that aren't there."
This isn’t the first time public displays of affection between the Trumps have been closely scrutinized.
After Trump’s 2024 presidential election win, a congratulatory kiss attempt was met with a polite cheek turn from Melania. And during his inauguration, her oversized hat appeared to obstruct another kiss attempt.
Adding to the intrigue is the revival of the long-standing conspiracy theory suggesting Melania is occasionally replaced by a body double. The theory tends to resurface whenever she appears in large sunglasses or wide-brimmed hats, per The Economic Times.
Though Melania has never publicly addressed the conspiracy, Donald Trump previously pushed back on the theory in 2019. “The Fake News photoshopped pictures of Melania, then propelled conspiracy theories that it's actually not her by my side… They are only getting more deranged with time!” he tweeted at the time.
As always, the Trumps remain a magnet for commentary, from admiration to mockery, with Melania’s mystique and media presence continuing to spark debates on social media.