Throughout the week in which her husband mocked a woman’s report of sexual assault to laughing, screaming fans, Melania Trump continued her campaign to soften the image of the Trump administration with a trip to Africa.
The first lady was also given a shove by a baby elephant who rejected her photo op affection. Apparently, that elephant really doesn’t care, either.
Watch: Melania Trump receives a shove from a baby elephant in Kenya https://t.co/7z7noc1KH2 pic.twitter.com/QxFRbgvoMV
— Newsweek (@Newsweek) October 5, 2018
https://twitter.com/katierogers/status/1048146272044167168?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1048146272044167168&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fthehill.com%2Fblogs%2Fin-the-know%2Fin-the-know%2F410102-melania-trump-dances-with-orphans-in-kenya
Meanwhile, hundreds of children brought to the U.S. by parents who were then arrested and detained languished in detention centers and foster care reporting sexual abuse, psychological abuse, forced medications, and physical trauma. At least in Kenya, it’s too hot for Melania’s “I really don’t care, do you?” jacket.
It all keeps coming back to Melania's jacket. pic.twitter.com/xNrQ8Ah5z6
— nathan morgan stole a ham (@nigelbarto) October 5, 2018
The purpose of the first lady’s trip is to promote her #BeBest campaign, which is laughably the most ironic idea at a time where irony means nothing anymore. Her husband, the president of the United States, was busy bullying sexual assault survivors on Twitter while Melania went to Kenya to promote kindness and anti-bullying.
The irony of the fact that she’s in Kenya wasn’t lost on anyone, either. While Melania does her best to keep herself removed from her husband’s politics, no one has forgotten her support of her husband’s racist birther campaign before his presidential bid. At this point, who can even guess what her definition of “bullying” is when she’s teaching children to #BeBest.
Melania Trump is taking her 'Be Best' campaign to Africa in her first major solo trip as first lady https://t.co/qyha8pbncB
— Politics Insider (@Politicsinsider) October 2, 2018
As part of that campaign, Melania also intends to “see how the US foreign aid is being put to use on the continent, improving health, early childhood education and conservation efforts” while her husband tries to take healthcare, education funding, welfare benefits, and housing away from impoverished children in the United States.
Sorry, Africa. Apologies in advance.https://t.co/QXvdZIup6m
— Brad Osborn (@bradleyosborn) October 1, 2018
Melania wants to be seen as the same kind of first lady her predecessors have been, but its difficult to take her seriously when her husband does the opposite of everything she’s professing to care about and, at opportune times, she’s publicly supported some of his worst tendencies.
Featured image via Flickr by Ninian Reid under a Creative Commons license