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Former U.S. President Donald Trump’s wife, Melania Trump, recently made headlines after she wore a non-black outfit to former First Lady Rosalynn Carter’s memorial service on the afternoon of November 28.
As soon as Melania Trump's picture went viral, netizens put her under fire for choosing to wear a gray coat, instead of wearing a black one, as the latter is the traditional color of grieving for funerals. In this regard, an X (formerly Twitter) user commented under @ReallyAmerican1’s tweet on the same condemning Melania Trump's outfit choice.
For those unaware, Rosalynn Carter, wife of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter passed away at the age of 96 at her Plains, Georgia residence on November 19 from natural causes.
“Next funeral, just stay home”: Melania Trump earns online backlash for her gray attire at Rosalynn Carter’s funeral
On Tuesday afternoon, Rosalynn Carter’s memorial service was held in Atlanta, Georgia. Rosalynn’s husband of 77 years, former President Jimmy Carter, who is 99 years old was present.
The service was also attended by the likes of former President Bill Clinton, former President George W. Bush, former first ladies Hillary Clinton, Michelle Obama, Laura Bush, and Melania Trump. President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden were also present to pay their respects alongside Vice President Kamala Harris.
However, it was Melanie Trump who became a center of controversy after a picture of her wearing a gray coat over a black dress went viral. It earned her severe backlash from netizens who criticized her for wearing any color other than the traditional black meant for funerals.
Here are some of the reactions from X:
Before attending the Rosalynn Carter memorial service, Melania paid her tributes to the former First Lady calling her “devotion to her husband, family, and country,” a legacy to remember her by.
While most people condemned Melania Trump for her unsuitable attire, an etiquette expert and founder of The Protocol School of Texas Diane Gottsman told Newsweek that the former First Lady’s outfit was appropriate for a memorial service.
She stated,
"It would be a different story if Melania Trump wore hot pink, or bright red, but rather she chose a somber gray, which is a perfectly acceptable color for funerals."
She further added that Mrs. Trump’s ensemble was both “conservative and respectful,” and the criticism surrounding it had “more to do with other issues, rather than Melania’s outfit.”
Attorney George Conway, who is a vocal and active critic of Donald Trump, also praised Melania Trump for paying her respects to Rosalynn Carter. It is noteworthy that Melania’s public appearance was rare as she was seen seated in the front row with other former first ladies, right beside Michelle Obama.
According to CNN, Mrs. Trump has made limited public appearances since leaving the White House in January 2021. An insider source even told the news outlet that she is mostly busy with her son Barron who is a high school senior in Florida.
She has not been seen during her husband’s 2024 presidential campaign, but only his presidential announcement in November 2022. During a May 2023 interview with Fox News, Melania stated that she supported Donald Trump’s decision to run for President again.
Melania is a Slovenian-American former model and businesswoman who served as the USA’s First Lady from 2017 to 2021. The 53-year-old has been married to Donald Trump since 2005 and has a teenage son Barron Trump.
