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Melania Trump slammed over 'shameless' President's Day post
Melania Trump has found herself at the center of fresh criticism after sharing a President’s Day message that some critics claim carried a surprising secondary focus.
President’s Day, observed on the third Monday of February, originally honored the birthday and legacy of George Washington. First established in 1879, the federal holiday has since expanded to recognize all US presidents, including the current officeholder.
This year, it fell on February 16, with public ceremonies taking place in Washington DC and across the country, while federal services such as post offices closed for the day.
Like many political figures, the First Lady marked the occasion on social media. However, it was the timing and content of her posts that sparked debate online, with some questioning whether the patriotic tribute doubled as something else.
Critics question focus of initial post
Before sharing a traditional President’s Day message, Melania posted content that had nothing to do with the holiday itself. Instead, she uploaded a photo of the poster for her documentary, Melania, along with glowing snippets of reviews.
Encouraging followers to see the film before it leaves theaters, she wrote: "Don’t miss your chance to see MELANIA in theaters before its run ends. Experience the immersive visuals and sound on the big screen today."
The promotional tone did not go unnoticed. While her second upload featured a photo of her and President Donald Trump captioned, "Happy President’s Day!", the image was taken at the premiere of her documentary, with a large promotional billboard for the film visible in the background.
Some social media users felt the choice of image blurred the line between a holiday greeting and film marketing.
One Reddit user wrote: "I always thought this Presidents' Day was in memory of George Washington's birthday, and thereafter, subsequent Presidents. Why is Melania attaching herself to this celebration?"
Previous controversy over documentary mention
The reaction follows criticism from just weeks earlier, when Melania referenced her documentary during an official White House event celebrating freed American-Israeli hostages.
According to The Mirror, she directed viewers of the press conference to an “emotional meeting” featured in the film. That prompted a reporter to ask: "Do you feel it's appropriate to use an official White House event to promote your documentary?"
Melania responded with: "This is not a promotion. We are here celebrating the release of the hostages of Aviva and Keith."
She further stated: "They were in Washington, D.C. They called me. They said they would like to come over to thank me and to give hugs, and that's why we are here."
The documentary follows the First Lady during the 20 days leading up to Donald Trump’s January 2025 inauguration. Amazon MGM Studios reportedly paid $75 million to produce the film, which premiered on January 30.
Despite divided reactions from viewers, it has been widely reported as the most successful documentary opening in a decade, grossing more than $7 million during its first weekend.