A commanding power pose \u2014 that\u2019s how many people would describe the official photo of Melania Trump that has been recently released by the White House.<\/p>\n
But for people with a keen eye, there\u2019s another detail that stands out\u2026<\/p>\n
Black-and-white portrait
\nFirst Lady of the United States has brought her own unique style and elegance to the White House.<\/p>\n
Known for her elegance and eye for detail, Melania Trump\u2019s official portraits have always been not just just photos. They\u2019ve sparked plenty of conversations and debates, inviting people to take a closer look at her style, her personality, and her place in American history.<\/p>\n
The latest photo recently released by the White House is no exception, embodying both grace and strength while leaving viewers intrigued by some subtle details.<\/p>\n
Taken by renowned photographer R\u00e9gine Mahaux, this black-and-white portrait was shot on January 21, 2025, in the Yellow Oval Room of the White House, as confirmed by the first lady\u2019s office. Mahaux is a Belgian photographer who has spent over two decades capturing images of the Trump family.<\/p>\n
\u201dI was really honoured to be chosen to shoot this official portrait for the second time,\u201d Ms Mahaux told BBC.<\/p>\n
\u201dAs an artist to work with such an inspiring woman is a great privilege. She is a perfectionist and is really involved in the creative process.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the official photo, Melania Trump is pictured in a commanding power pose, leaning forward slightly with her hands placed firmly on a table. The towering Washington Monument looms in the background, dominating the skyline of the nation\u2019s capital.<\/p>\n
Did you notice the change?
\nMany people have pointed out that the first lady, a former fashion model, presents a vastly different image in her 2025 portrait compared to her official 2017 photo.<\/p>\n
In 2017, Melania faced significant backlash over one particular detail in her official portrait. She prominently displayed her 25-carat diamond ring, a gift from President Donald Trump in 2014. Critics argued that wearing the extravagant sparkler, valued at an estimated $3 million, came across as tone-deaf and insensitive.<\/p>\n
White House
\nIn Melania\u2019s latest black-and-white shot, shot one day after her husband was sworn in as president, she\u2019s dressed in a sharp, dark suit with a crisp white shirt, her hair styled in loose waves, and her nails perfectly manicured.<\/p>\n
Contrast that with her 2017 portrait, which had a softer, more approachable vibe. That photo was in color, with a soft-focus effect, showing Melania in a black blazer, arms crossed, and offering a gentle smile. The shift between the two portraits couldn\u2019t be more striking \u2014 2025 radiates power and authority. Meanwhile, 2017 leaned into elegance and warmth.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis time, Melania is out for revenge,\u201d noted one user on X, according to Fox News.<\/p>\n
Another chimed in, saying, \u201cHer revenge tour is going to be awesome!\u201d<\/p>\n
Another observant Facebook user pointed out something else: \u201cHillary Clinton wore a pant suit. There was a lot of criticism. I remember. I think we\u2019ve come a long way since then. She looks beautiful and I love the black & white photo, even though, I admit, it\u2019s a little different of a First Lady photo. We are in new times!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201dAt least she is wearing clothes\u2026\u201d
\nAs is often the case with political figures, opinions were sharply divided. As the photo was shared on ABC\u2019s Facebook page, the comments section quickly filled with mixed reactions. Many critics felt that Melania\u2019s expression came across as cold and unapproachable, with some complaining that she couldn\u2019t even manage a smile for the occasion. The striking tone of the photo seemed to spark as much controversy as it did admiration.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s as though the photographer told her to look as mean as Donald in his official portrait. What a pair,\u201d one user wrote.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt least she is wearing clothes, unlike her past pictures!\u201d another noted.<\/p>\n
Melania is said to be much more prepared to enter the White House this time, so it makes sense to assume that she will approach things differently.<\/p>\n
As per another body language expert, Inbaal Honigman, her behavior was different at this inauguration than in 2017.<\/p>\n
\u201cMelania\u2019s body language during the 2025 inauguration is still and neutral,\u201d Inbaal told Covers.com. \u201cShe sits still in her model pose, her facial expression neutral, not drawing any attention to herself, letting all attention be on her husband.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A commanding power pose \u2014 that\u2019s how many people would describe the official photo of Melania Trump that has been recently released by the White House. But for people with a keen eye, there\u2019s another detail that stands out\u2026 Black-and-white portrait First Lady of the United States has brought her own unique style and elegance […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1794,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1793","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fnews06.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1793","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fnews06.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fnews06.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fnews06.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fnews06.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1793"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/fnews06.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1793\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1795,"href":"https:\/\/fnews06.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1793\/revisions\/1795"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fnews06.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1794"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fnews06.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1793"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fnews06.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1793"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fnews06.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1793"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}