Melania Trump has accused the Obamas of trying to interfere with her husband Donald Trump’s first term in office.
The soon-to-be first lady threw some shade while expressing her confidence about her husband’s upcoming second term, now that former President Barack Obama is no longer around to complicate things.
“The first time was challenging, we didn’t have much of the information,” she said during an appearance on Fox & Friends, reflecting on the time when her husband first took office in 2017.
“The information was withheld from us by the previous administration,” she said, referring to Obama. Notably, his wife, Michelle Obama, has drawn attention for announcing she will skip Trump’s second inauguration on Monday.
She added, “But this time I have everything… it’s a very different transition this time, second time around.”
Reflecting on her upcoming return to the White House, she commented, “But this time I have everything,” as she prepares to replace President Biden, who had served as Obama’s vice president during their previous tenure.
Despite the ongoing tension due to the apparent lack of communication between the administrations, the 54-year-old shared that she now has a better understanding of “the rules” and “process” involved in life at the White House.
“I have the plans, I already packed, I have selected the furniture. So it’s a very different transition this time, the second time around,” she said confidently.
“I think it will be an exciting four years. We have a lot to do to put the country back in shape,” she added, expressing optimism about the upcoming term.
She also addressed how she’s not letting people underestimating her abilities hold her back, especially since she feels they did during her husband’s first term.
“I just feel that people didn’t accept me. Maybe they didn’t understand me the way maybe they do now. And I didn’t have much support,” she admitted.
“Maybe some people see me as just a wife of the president, but I’m standing on my own two feet, independent. I have my own thoughts, I have my own, ‘yes’ and ‘no,’” she continued, emphasizing her individuality.
Her remarks came as news surfaced that former first lady Michelle Obama won’t be attending Trump’s second inauguration on Monday. This follows her decision to also skip former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral.
While no official reason was given for Michelle Obama’s absence at the inauguration, her past criticisms of Trump are well-documented. Over the past eight years, she has been outspoken about her disapproval of his behavior, addressing everything from his wealth and treatment of women to his stance on minorities.
She’s even urged men to step up and support Vice President Kamala Harris, staying true to her advocacy despite coining the phrase “When they go low, we go high.”
“I am asking y’all, from the core of my being, to take our lives seriously,” she passionately declared during a rally for Harris last fall.
Even so, her husband made headlines when he was seen sitting next to Trump at Carter’s highly-publicized funeral, where cameras caught him laughing and chatting with his successor, sparking reactions worldwide.
Meanwhile, all other former presidents and their spouses are set to attend the Jan. 20 inauguration, including George W. and Laura Bush, Bill and Hillary Clinton, and Joe and Jill Biden.
