West Wing frustrated with Melania's tweets on 'healing' that's out of sync with Trump's tough stance on protests
First lady Melania Trump's incessant calls for "peace" and "harmony" in the United States in the wake of George Floyd's death sparking violent protests in over 400 cities, even as President Donald Trump threatens to implement martial law, has frustrated the West Wing, according to White House officials.
The first lady's latest tweet on the subject on June 5 read: "As the Memorial Service for George Floyd takes place in Minneapolis today, I once again extend my heartfelt condolences to his family and friends. It is my hope our country will come together in peace & heal from these challenging times." The message stood in stark contrast to the POTUS' mantra of scream-tweets like "LAW & ORDER."
Although the FLOTUS has not actively shown solidarity with the 'Black Lives Matter' protesters, her tweets seem to strategically pop up every time her husband has posted something controversial. "There's a feeling of deliberateness to her timing that makes it seem even more disjointed," said one person familiar with the first lady's actions. The deliberate contradiction of the directive from the West Wing was frustrating the Trump administration as there seems to be no unifying message sent forth from the White House.
For example, soon after it was reported that the president was on a conference call with governors telling them how they looked like "jerks" for being "weak" and unable to "dominate" and "put down" protests, the mother-of-one tweeted: "Saddened to see our country & communities being damaged & vandalized. I ask everyone to protest in peace & focus on taking care of one another & healing our great nation."
Another instance was at the end of last month when the POTUS infuriated the protesters by labeling them "THUGS," and coming up with the phrase, "when the looting starts, the shooting starts." After Twitter censored Trump's tweet for a violation of its non-violent content policy, the president directed his anger at the social media platform. At the same time, Melania used the same platform to post a message of peace. "Our country allows for peaceful protests, but there is no reason for violence. I’ve seen our citizens unify & take care of one another through COVID19 & we can’t stop now. My deepest condolences to the family of George Floyd. As a nation, let's focus on peace, prayers & healing," she wrote.
"First Lady Melania Trump cares deeply for the American people and her messages of comfort, encouragement, healing, and peace are an important part of the President's commitment to stop the violence and restore security to our neighborhoods," Judd Deere, White House deputy press secretary, told CNN. He also contradicted the insider info saying that due to Melania's antithetical tweeting has led the West Wing to keep the East Wing out of strategic conversations. "I won't comment on internal procedures but the West Wing and the East Wing are in regular communication," Deere told the outlet.
Earlier this week, when Trump's advisers such as Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, and Hope Hicks were pouring over a plan for the president to walk to St. John's Church and hold up a bible for a photo op, no one pitched for Melania to walk alongside the POTUS. "To be honest, I don't think it was even part of the discussion," a White House official told CNN.