Dr. Jill Biden & Melania Trump Share a Revolutionary Sensibility to the Role of First Lady That Just Might Surprise You

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, SheKnows may receive an affiliate commission.

When taking a look at the first lady role in the modern era, it’s easy to criticize Melania Trump for looking rather disinterested in the job. However, it’s important to note that it’s an unpaid position where there are big expectations of not only supporting your husband while in office, but also giving up your personal interests for the greater good of the United States (again, unpaid).

More from SheKnows

• This Member of Melania Trump's Team Received Over $260K in A Way That's Raising Eyebrows

Kate Andersen Brower, author of First Women: The Grace and Power of America’s Modern First Ladies, exclusively explained to SheKnows how Melania and Dr. Jill Biden have both “revolutionized” the way the first lady role is perceived. “It’s probably one of the most unique and singular positions in American politics because it evolves according to the person who holds it,” Brower adds.

Melania, was essentially “unknowable” in the position because she didn’t let the press or the American public in. “Melania Trump revolutionized it in an unusual way because she didn’t move into the White House right away,” Brower says. “She didn’t do what we all wanted. She didn’t seem to care about making the public like her. It was bizarre.” As a result, Melania is as “much of a cipher now as she was then” because she hasn’t even embraced her post-White House role, which usually involves a memoir and high-paying speaking engagements. Instead, she’s ensconced behind the walls of Mar-a-Lago.

Click here to read the full article.

Jill has a completely different approach to being the first lady. She’s thrilled to make appearances overseas and act as an ambassador for Joe Biden’s administration, but she’s also holding down a job as a professor of English at Northern Virginia Community College. “Jill Biden is working, which no First Lady has ever done, [and] it’s remarkable to think about,” she says. Even though the two women are very different in their political ideologies and how they cemented their places in history as the first lady, Brower notes, “Each woman has changed and forced a change in the role” which will impact how the position evolves in the future.

Before you go, click here to see our favorite photos of President Joe Biden’s big family.

Launch Gallery: 15 Fashionable First Ladies' Inauguration Day Looks

Best of SheKnows

• 10 Strict Rules Jennifer Lopez & Ben Affleck Allegedly Follow in Their Marriage

• All the Celebrity Couples Who Broke Up This Year

• All the Stars We've Lost in 2023

Sign up for SheKnows' Newsletter.
For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.