Melania Trump has demonstrated her political power in her bold new White House portrait that paints a picture of what’s to come over the next four years.
The First Lady is shown staring directly into the camera and she stands tall with her hands on the table before her. The Washington Monument visible in the background.
Body language expert Judi James says the portrait, which was unveiled Monday, depicts a powerful image of a first lady in control.
‘Everything about this pose screams power and status,’ she told DailyMail.com. ‘She looks and poses as though she is the right woman in the right place at the right time’.
Melania has pushed back against the ‘trophy wife’ narrative touted by her critics and instead reminds the world that she ‘has her own decisions and her own opinions’, according to James.
Social media users were also quick to note how Melania’s portrait bares striking resemblance to a photo of Claire Underwood – the First Lady in House of Cards who climbs the political ranks and ultimately becomes President herself in Netflix’s successful political drama House of Cards.
Claire, portrayed by actress Robin Wright, was regarded as powerful, ambitious and ruthless, with some alleging she was a stronger character than that of her husband President Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey).
Melania’s new portrait appears to send a similar message, making clear that she knows there is no time to waste in declaring herself part of a presidential triumvirate.
‘Melania now looks devoid of any traces of the ‘Imposter syndrome’, instead she looks and poses as though she is the right woman in the right place at the right time here,’ James told DailyMail.com.
Melania’s tilted torso, according to James, signals ‘status, confidence and even territorial ownership’ while they way she splays her fingers on the desk is ‘something of a power-grab or territorial ownership of this space in the White House’.
The body language expert suggests that Melania may be responding to critics who claimed she remain at Mara-Lago during Donald Trump’s second presidency, instead of working as a full-time First Lady.
‘The portrait suggests a total re-branding from the ‘trophy wife’ FLOTUS who appeared to enter the White House reluctantly back in 2017, to this fierce, corporate-looking woman who, as she said during her recent book launch, has her own decisions and her own opinions,’ James added, noting that the ‘soft, ‘people-pleaser’ glamour look’ she once displayed in gone.
Social media users have also likened Melania to Claire Underwood, the ruthless and ambitious First Lady-turned-President in House of Cards.
‘Melania’s portrait is giving off some ‘House of Cards’ vibes,’ one X user wrote.
‘Melania tells us a lot by her wardrobe and photos! This is House of Cards! Trump card incoming!’ echoed another.
One user tweeted: ‘Well, that’s a striking coincidence, don’t you think? Melania trump channeling her inner Claire Underwood?’
‘I think she’s sending the same message as her husband did with his…she’s not playing around this time!’ another user wrote of the portrait.
Melania’s portrait was taken on January 21, the day after Trump’s inauguration, in the Yellow Oval Room of the residence by photographer Régine Mahaux.
Mahaux, a Belgian photographer, is known for her portraits of the Trump family. She also took Melania’s portrait in her first term.
That photo from 2017 is in color. Melania is a soft-lit, with a warm glow around her. She wears a black tuxedo suit and has her arms crossed.
Her second portrait, like her second term, shows, this time, she is more experienced in the role and determined to control how the public sees her.
Other first ladies made use of bright colors and the White House settings in their photos.
Jill Biden wore a bright blue dress for her official portrait.
Michelle Obama wore a black dress with pearls in hers but used the Blue State Room as her backdrop. Laura Bush wore a warm brown suit.
Melania’s photo was taken in her favorite room in the White House: the upstairs Yellow Oval Room.
In her first term, she oversaw extensive redecoration and restoration of that room, along with many others.
In her memoir ‘Melania,’ she said the Yellow Oval Room in the residence was a ‘favorite’ and she designed the rug on the floor.
‘I carefully selected beautiful antiques from the White House collection,’ she noted. ‘I personally designed a custom rug featuring American Beauty roses, blue ribbons and a trellis motif to tie everything together.’
In Melania’s first four years in the DC spotlight, she hosted few public events, granted even fewer media interviews and largely remained out of sight.
Now she has a reported $40 million deal with billionaire Jeff Bezos’s Amazon to produce a feature-length documentary and follow-up docuseries about her working life, complete with cameos from husband Donald and son Barron.
Melania is an executive producer on the project. It’s yet unclear how much of the payday will end up in her purse, but the sum is expected to be substantial.
Behind this Melania 2.0, Dailymail.com has been exclusively told, is a new resolve. Melania wants control and what, she believes, she deserves.
‘Money is her number one priority,’ said a source familiar with the first lady’s thinking.
It’s well known that Melania spent her years between White House stints in a return to the business world.
In December 2021, she sold NFTs – digital artworks collectively titled ‘Melania’s Vision’ and retailing for $150. At least some of the proceeds reportedly went to children and teens exiting the foster care system.
The first lady has also been busy hawking Christmas decorations and jewelry. And there was her eponymous New York Times best-selling memoir, released in July, which she reportedly did not receive a large advance to write, but is likely generating healthy royalty payments.
‘She has always wanted to be seen as a savvy businesswoman,’ the source said.