Melania Trump Sparks Anger at Hospital: Critics Claim 'She Has Never Read A Book to A Child In Her Life'

It is intended to be a scene of warmth and festive magic: a first lady sitting amongst patients at a children's hospital, reading a tale of holiday wonder. However, Melania Trump has once again found herself the subject of intense online scrutiny following her annual visit to the Children's National Hospital in Washington, D.C. Rather than generating holiday cheer, the appearance has sparked a fresh wave of backlash, with critics branding her behaviour as 'bizarre' and seizing on a specific, awkward detail of her storytelling technique.

The 55-year-old first lady has been busy in recent weeks attempting to fulfil the traditional duties of her role, from unveiling the official White House decorations to meeting with military families. Yet, despite her efforts to project a traditional image of festive spirit, she continues to be dogged by past controversies and a public that seems intent on analysing her every move for signs of insincerity. This latest incident has only provided more fuel for her detractors, turning a simple reading session into a viral moment for all the wrong reasons.

Social Media Erupts Over Melania Trump Reading Style

The controversy centred on Mrs. Trump's reading of the picture book How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney? by Mac Barnett. Dressed in a dark outfit that one critic sharply noted made her look like a 'funeral director' rather than a festive figure, the first lady read through the book but failed to adhere to the standard etiquette of reading to a group of young children: showing them the pictures.

As video clips of the event circulated on social media, viewers were quick to point out that she kept the book's illustrations facing herself the entire time. This left the assembled children staring at the back of the book cover rather than engaging with the visual story, leading to observations that the young audience looked visibly bored and detached.

The reaction on X was swift and merciless. 'She is looking at the illustrations herself and not sharing them. It is really bizarre,' one user commented, highlighting the disconnect between the performer and the audience. Another user shouted in all caps, 'DON'T THE KIDS WANT TO SEE THE PICTURES MELANIA OR YOU CAN'T READ UPSIDE DOWN?'

For many, the gaffe was evidence of a lack of natural maternal instinct or experience in engaging with children. 'It was obvious by the fact that Melania never turned the book to show children the pictures that she has never read a book to a child in her life,' a critic claimed. Another added, 'I don't mind her accent. But she doesn't know how to read a book to children'.

Past Comments Haunt Melania Trump During Festive Duties

The criticism of Melania Trump during the holiday season is rarely just about the event at hand; it is almost always compounded by the ghost of Christmas past. The hospital visit is a deeply entrenched tradition, dating back to the Truman administration (1945–1953) when Bess Truman first visited a children's hospital to spread cheer. Every first lady since has honoured this custom. However, Melania's adherence to tradition is frequently overshadowed by the now-infamous leaked audio from 2018.

In the recordings, released in 2020 by her former friend and aide Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, Melania was heard expressing profound frustration with the expectations placed upon her regarding Christmas planning. Her vented complaint — 'I'm working my a-s off on the Christmas stuff, that you know, who gives a f–k about the Christmas stuff and decorations? But I need to do it, right?' — has become a perennial sticking point for her critics.

This disconnect between her private grievances and her public performance creates a friction that observers are all too eager to highlight. When she appears stiff or makes a minor error like failing to show illustrations in a book, it reinforces the narrative established by those tapes: that she views these traditions not as joys, but as obligations she must endure.

While she continues to go through the motions of the season, incidences like the reading at the Children's National Hospital serve as a reminder that for Melania Trump, the holiday season brings as much scrutiny as it does celebration.