Melania Trump Wears Jacket That Says ‘I Really Don't Care, Do U?’ Before Border Visit
On Thursday, First Lady Melania Trump flew to Texas, making an unannounced visit to the Upbring New Hope Children’s Shelter, which is housing several children who were separated from their parents at the U.S. border. Though the trip was meant as a gesture of good will, its purpose would soon become eclipsed after people got a look at the jacket she wore to board her plane in Maryland.
At the Andrews Air Force Base, Trump was photographed getting out of her car and onto the jet wearing a green military-style jacket with lettering scrawled across the back in white. Daily Mail was the first outlet to decipher the slogan as reading, "I really don't care, do u?," and attributing the style to a jacket that was once sold at fast-fashion retailer Zara.
Melania Trump
Melania Trump
Melania Trump
This would later be reported by journalists following FLOTUS's visit.
Though the jacket is no longer available on Zara's website, it reportedly retailed for $39.
FLOTUS changed her outerwear on the flight—she was wearing a light-pink cargo jacket when she landed in Texas—but the damage had already been done: Once images of Mrs. Trump hit the Internet, people took to social media to share their outrage at the optics of what most likely is a glaringly tone-deaf fashion decision.
In response to the backlash, Stephanie Grisham, the First Lady's communications director, shared with the White House pool reporters via email: "It's a jacket. There was no hidden message." She also added that she hoped the media would instead focus on Trump's visit, rather than her outfits, "Much like her high heels last year."
The heels Grisham is referring to were the sky-high stilettos Trump wore when she boarded the plane as she accompanied her husband to see the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in Texas—then too people believed her decision to wear high-end designer shoes with an impractical heel was rather insensitive.
Still, even with this statement, many were not convinced that there was no message to be gleaned from the First Lady's wardrobe choice.
As to what Trump hoped to accomplish on her visit to Texas, Girsham shared with pool reporters that Trump "...wants to see what’s happening for herself and she wants to lend her support, executive order or not. The executive order certainly is helping pave the way a little bit, but there’s still a lot to be done."
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