Bethesda Visit by Melania Trump
BETHESDA, Md. — On Wednesday, First Lady Melania Trump encouraged ill teenagers to express themselves, and one of them, a boy named Romeo, seized the moment.
“I don’t play chess, but I know the queen when I see her,” he quipped, humorously addressing her as “Your Royal Highness.”
Melania, who is 55, grinned at the playful compliment, calling Romeo “charming” and joking that girls should “be careful” around him.
This touching interaction occurred during a Valentine’s Day event at the Children’s Inn at the National Institutes of Health. Melania spoke candidly, sharing snippets about her busy days at the White House, urging patients to “stay strong” as they face health challenges, and revealing some of her self-care routines.
She collaborated with over a dozen kids to create Valentine’s Day crafts at the facility, which provides care for children, teens, and young adults with rare and serious illnesses undergoing clinical trials at Bethesda Hospital. “Don’t be shy,” she told them as she settled in. When a boy admitted he wasn’t sure what to call her, she simply replied, “Melania.”
Melania brought gift bags along with messages of encouragement, saying, “Stay well. Stay strong. I’ll be thinking of you.” As they entered, 11-year-old Lina welcomed them with applause and a bouquet of white roses. The First Lady admired Lina’s sparkling pink dress and expressed her gratitude for the flowers.
Then it was time for Melania to join the kids at the craft table to create paper flowers while they engaged in conversation. They inquired about her life in the White House. She mentioned how little free time she has, highlighting her responsibilities around foster care, executive orders, and the president’s AI initiative.
The teens were particularly drawn to discussions about technology, but Melania quickly emphasized the need for caution, saying, “It’s very positive, but we have to be careful. We can’t believe everything.”
In her downtime, Melania said she makes it a priority to “take care of myself and exercise,” as her schedule is packed with various commitments.
As the kids dabbled in origami, they asked if she’d ever attended the Super Bowl. She mentioned catching it on TV and shared her love for tennis and childhood skiing experiences in Slovenia. One patient joked about dancing, claiming he had “two left feet,” to which Melania, who enjoys dancing, replied she doesn’t have much time for it lately.
When a young patient mentioned being there for a transplant, she leaned in to pat his arm and wished him well.
After crafting, Melania joined the kids at a dessert table overflowing with tiny cupcakes and sweets. While they were sorting candies into gift boxes, she pointed to the Starburst and remarked, “This is my husband’s favorite.” She also confessed that she doesn’t indulge in sweets much because “sugar is not very healthy for us.”
This marks Melania’s fourth visit to The Children’s Inn, where she recognized Annie, a patient she had met previously. “You’ve grown so much. You’re already a teenager,” she told Annie, who happily shared she had completed her treatment and was now an ambassador for the hospital.
To wrap up her visit, Melania signed a large Valentine’s Day card that read, “With Love, Melania Trump,” and gathered the kids for a group photo.
“I’m glad to be here,” she expressed warmly.
