Melania Trump to Celebrate Valentine’s Day at Children’s Inn

First Lady Melania Trump is set to observe Valentine’s Day this year with a visit to the Children’s Inn at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Maryland. She plans to engage in arts and crafts activities with children and their families, many of whom are participating in clinical trials for rare and serious illnesses.

This visit continues a tradition established during President Donald Trump’s first term, where she also visited in 2018, 2019, and 2020.

During earlier visits to the Children’s Inn in Bethesda, Melania participated enthusiastically in various crafts and activities, aiming to bring joy to young patients facing tough health challenges while undergoing treatments and trials.

“We are honored that the First Lady has chosen to spend Valentine’s Day again this year with the children and families at The Children’s Inn,” remarked Jenny Rucka, CEO of The Children’s Inn at NIH. “We look forward to her visits each year. Mrs. Trump has brought an enjoyable experience for our family and heightened awareness of the critical medical research happening here at NIH.”

On her first visit back in 2018, she decorated heart-shaped cookies with the kids using colorful icing and sprinkles. They exchanged handmade Valentine’s cards and shared uplifting conversations that helped brighten their challenging health journeys.

The following year, in 2019, she expanded the activities to include more creative projects. She assisted children in filling decorated candy boxes with sweets, love-themed cards, and created heart-filled snow globes.

By 2020, after three successful Valentine’s Days at the Inn, she continued the tradition with activities like decorating cookies, painting bags, and creating heart wreaths for their loved ones.

Alongside the First Lady, NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharyya, Children’s Inn CEO Jenny Rucka, and Vice President Scott Royal will also attend the event.

Dr. Bhattacharyya was nominated by President Trump in 2024 and confirmed by the Senate in 2025.

According to their website, “NIH Clinical Centers are the nation’s premier biomedical research hospitals, offering families the chance to partner in advancing medical discovery. While NIH attends to children’s medical needs, The Inn focuses on their hearts, souls, and spirits.”