Happy Birthday To Our Composed, Elegant First Lady — Melania Trump

Today is the birthday of our remarkable first lady, Melania Trump.

One of her greatest gifts to the nation has been her gracious response to the media and the political vitriol swirling around her. One could argue that the more outrageous and unfair the criticism, the more remarkable and impressive has been her composed elegance.

Melania holds her head up high and soldiers on.

Her poise and her kindly confidence infuriate President Donald Trump’s opponents.

The attacks on Melania began almost immediately when her husband won the election in 2016. Late-night comedians mocked her accent.

April Ryan of CNN shamelessly declared that Melania was "not culturally American."

MSNBC anchor Nicolle Wallace suggested that both first lady Melania and first daughter Ivanka had been bribed. "Are they just the most stoic human beings, are they numb, are they dead inside, are they paid off?"

A New York Times reporter falsely claimed that the first lady had been "a hooker."

While he later apologized, he was not fired by the Times.

ABC's "The View" co-host Joy Behar said that before coming to America, the first lady "was in Slovenia doing nothing."

Sometimes the mean-spirited snub of Melania Trump borders on schoolgirl immaturity.

At a 2017 event, Anna Wintour, the editor in chief of Vogue, ignored repeated questions from the audience about the beautiful and fashionable American first lady, Melania Trump, insisting peevishly that Michelle Obama "was the best ambassador this country could possibly have in many ways, obviously, way beyond fashion."

When Melania Trump was asked by a journalist why she had taken up the cause of cyberbullying and created her Be Best campaign, she smiled thoughtfully saying, "I am the most bullied person in the world." In response to the false and acerbic media stories assailing her daily, she holds her head high and continues to reach out to those suffering.

Meanwhile, to the exasperation of her husband’s critics, she remains his most loyal counselor. While I interviewed the president for the book "Inside Trump’s White House," he constantly brought up her name.

During the Christmas of 2018, Donald Trump told his family that he wouldn’t be going to Mar-a-Lago for the traditional family celebration.

He would remain alone in the White House.

In fact, it was a ruse. The president was planning on a Christmas night flight to visit the troops in Iraq. When the first lady was told of the trip she insisted on going along.

The U.S. Secret Service patiently explained that very few first ladies had ever been allowed to go into a war zone, that it took months to prepare for such an event.

Yet, Melania was insistent. If her husband’s life would be in danger, she would be at his side and not let him go alone.

She raced back to the White House to make the long trip halfway around the globe.

Many have said that Melania did not want this life.

She and her husband had enjoyed a good lifestyle before politics.

At one point she had implored him, "Why do you want to do this?"

But Donald Trump had chosen to run for president. She had known all along that he would win. They were partners, lovers.

She would do her duty and see it all through to the end. Honorably and loyally.

History will soon enough forget the bitter, angry voices of Melania’s critics.

Unfortunately for those antagonists, the stories, the photographs, and the video record of this remarkable first lady will survive and be witnesses against their pettiness and jealousy.

Future generations will be able to see for themselves this elegant woman who glides softly through the angry storm of critics who try to hurt her.

There will be the future equivalent of entire bookshelves full of stories about this enigmatic first lady. The envious and spiteful critics who snap at her now and who are tormented by her power and poise will be long forgotten — their names unknown.

And thus, history will provide Melania’s revenge.

Portions of this article were taken from "Inside the Trump’s White House," by Doug Wead.

Doug Wead is a presidential historian who served as a senior adviser to the Ron Paul presidential campaign. He is a New York Times best-selling author, philanthropist, and adviser to two presidents, including President George H.W. Bush, with whom he co-authored the book "Man of Integrity." Read Doug Wead's Reports — More Here.