Melania Trump has a Romanov complex. There were signs of it with the casual way she throws tax payer money away, beginning with her decision to stay in New York for several months following her husband’s inauguration.
Yes, she cited Barron’s schooling as the reason and perhaps she was truly concerned about that. But, the fact remains, while her husband was looking for ways to take healthcare away from people, most of those people were paying for additional security to spare Barron of the “hardship” that comes with moving in the middle of a school year.
More recently, on her first solo trip to Africa, Melania spent $100,000 on a hotel room that she never intended to use. Then we saw the wardrobe choices when meeting with people in distress. When she joined Donald in Puerto Rico, following Hurricane Maria, Melania still insisted on attire that was perhaps a bit impractical for the occasion. Then there was the jacket with a message she denied was a message – until recently.
These incidents, while revealing of a woman who lives in an especially privileged bubble, bear little consequence.But, Melania’s Romanov complex kicked into high gear after mid-terms. Perhaps the timing is merely coincidental, but the political message is unmistakable. Melania is under the mistaken impression that by virtue of her marriage to Donald Trump, national security personnel and Donald’s Chief of staff are accountable to her.
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This is wrong on so many levels, but it is also revealing of a Melania that is more like her husband than, perhaps we would like to admit.
Again, we had the warning signs when she acknowledged being a birther. Ok, there was room for the possibility that Donald forced her to join him on television to sell the racist conspiracy theory as a reality. Perhaps when she went on the campaign trail with Donald, Melania was forced into silence about his regular incitement of hatred of pretty much everyone in America except racist white guys.
When Melania lied about her academic credentials, and her ability to speak five languages maybe it was because Donald made her indulge in the over sell.
But there is still more, as we see a Melania who seems … distant to the plight of other human beings. Melania showed zero sympathy for immigrants, despite being an immigrant.
She said she supports her husband’s views on undocumented immigrants, even though the available information suggests that she may well have been an undocumented immigrant for a period when she first started modelling in the United States. There’s the broken promise of the press conference to explain the gaps in her story, like the small detail that immigrants with work permits don’t have to return home every six months to get their passports stamped.
When Melania was caught plagiarizing one of Michelle Obama’s speeches, she showed an unwillingness to take responsibility for her actions. Instead she did something very Trumpian. She blamed staff.
Melania’s be best campaign was a poor attempt at a knock off of the Obama administration’s effort to address cyber bullying. But maybe that’s because she lives with the biggest cyber bully so criticism would be seen as criticizing him.
In various degrees of absurdity, one can find some way to deny the possibility that Melania is very much like Donald.All doubt was removed when she took it upon herself to “recommend” in the form of a public statement delivered by her spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham; that a senior National Security advisor, Mira Ricardel, be fired – over seats on an airplane.
“It is the position of the Office of the First Lady that (Ricardel) no longer deserves the honor of serving in this White House,”
The First Lady is not supposed to have a public position on whether a member of the president’s staff is “deserving” of their position or not.
It’s so crazy, I had to wonder, what’s next. Will Kellyanne get fired if she refuses to buy Barron a pony?
Not that Melania Trump has any constitutional authority to influence White House personnel decisions and indirectly policy. And last time I checked, former models whose first priority is being a wife and mother generally aren’t national security experts.But Melania’s inner Romanov wasn’t a fluke as proven when she went after John Kelly’s job as Donald Trump’s chief of staff.Apparently, she had disagreements with General Kelly so she wants him fired. One can only imagine reaction had word have gotten out that Michelle Obama or Hillary Clinton even thought of having their husbands’ chiefs of staff fired, or anyone else in the White House.
Yes, the comparison matters, because like her husband is changing norms – not for any other reason than to expand their respective powers while neglecting responsibilities – like honoring Vets on Veterans’ Day.
This is so very unlike America. It’s more consistent with the mindset and practices of a despot or a Tsar in old Russia. If you were employed by the Tsar or a despot, then yes, deference and submission to family members was a thing.
In America, First Ladies are strong and independent women. Melania is not the first to have those traits. As we know, first ladies have a history of using their voices – some more effectively than others. We also know Melania is no Eleanor Roosevelt, Jackie Onassis, Barbara Bush, Hillary Clinton or Michelle Obama.
But, they managed their staffs and focused on the parameters of their job, rather than interfering with the personnel and policies made by the person who is elected to make those decisions.
Former contributor.
