The 'Bold, Confident' Warnings Melania Trump Packed into Her Official White House Portrait Revealed — After Donald's Brutal Mug Shot-Style Snap
Melania Trump asserted dominance with her pose and outfit choice for her White House portrait.
Jan. 28 2025, Published 5:30 p.m. ET
Melania Trump has made a massive statement with her new White House portrait.
RadarOnline.com can reveal details of the First Lady's striking black-and-white photograph, signaling her readiness to take on a more influential role alongside her husband, Donald, and his vice president after previously shying away from such prominence in 2017.
The First Lady's new portrait broke bounds by being the first released on black-and-white.
Melania's bold photo sends a clear message: she's ready to step into a central role in the new administration, joining her husband and J.D Vance as a key figure in the presidential trio.
The groundbreaking monochrome portrait – the first ever of its kind – shows Melania, 54, standing behind a desk with her hands firmly placed on top.
She is seen glaring into the camera lens with a subtle smile on her face – naturally asserting dominance.
Melania's new portrait was released days after her husband's inauguration, unlike in 2017.
Her choice to wear a Dolce & Gabbana tuxedo in her new photo marks a shift from her previous glamorous, cocktail-style fashion. Unlike her 2017 look, this image focuses on a more understated, confident elegance.
Melania is now seen in an outfit reminiscent of the home-office look she often wore during her time in the White House – a style that, despite critics, held its own significance.
This time, she swapped out her usual sequin-beaded foulard for a simple, crisp white shirt with an open collar, intentionally avoiding jewelry.
By doing so, she shifted the focus entirely onto herself, rather than her flashy emerald-cut diamond ring – a gift from Donald in 2015. This move signaled Melania no longer seeks validation from high-end accessories.
In a stark contrast to 2017, when Melania's official White House portrait was delayed for months, her new photo was quickly released just after Donald's inauguration as the 47th president.
On the contrary, Donald's portrait was labeled as "ominous and evil" by fans who quickly compared his scowl to that in his 2023 mug shot.
Donald's photo, released a few days before he was sworn into office, strikingly mirrored his infamous mugshot – taken after he was indicted by a Georgia grand jury for attempting to overturn the 2020 election results.
Like his mugshot, the presidential portrait showed Donald staring down with a stern expression and raised eyebrow.
Donald's new portrait was mocked after fans compared the clear similarities to his 2023 mugshot.
The White House snap was a stark contrast to recent presidential photos, which typically show smiling leaders. The MAGA leader himself even smiled for his first-term portrait.
The Trump-Vance transition team released the shots with the caption: "And They Go Hard," followed by a fire emoji.
The only noticeable difference between Donald's mugshot and portrait was the color of his tie – red in the mugshot and blue in the official photo.
People quickly noted the resemblance to his criminal photo, with one writing on X: "100% Trump recreated his mugshot pose for his inauguration picture."
A second said: "Trump's inauguration picture looks just like his mugshot! FOTUS... Felon of The United States!"
Someone else quipped: "You can’t tell me that Trump’s official portrait doesn’t take inspiration from his mugshot."
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Others slammed his facial expression in the shot: "Perfect representation of the ominous future we have in America over the next 4 years…"
Another wrote: "The evil is giving in that pic. But this is what they wanted."
Melania has proven she will be joining her husband and J.D Vance as a key figure in the presidential trio.
Donald's choice for his official portrait may not have been surprising, especially as his merchandise sales featured his mugshot and the slogan: "Never Surrender!"
After his mugshot was taken, he claimed it resonated with Black voters, saying his multiple indictments were seen as discrimination.
As for Vance, the VP's official portrait shows him with a gentle smile, with his arms crossed over a blue suit and matching tie.
