First lady Melania Trump previously announced her plans of renovating the historic White House Rose Garden. As she is slated to speak at the Republican Convention this week, the first lady revealed what the improved and modernized space looks like ahead of her appearance.
The newly-renovated White House Rose Garden was revealed over the weekend to the press. It featured an addition of more roses as well as walkways yet still kept to its original 1962 roots. The renovations were financed through private donors, yet White House officials did not say how much money was spent on these improvements. This unveiling of the space comes just in time for the Republican National Convention, as she will also be making her speech to the party there.
Melania also shared photos of the modernized location to her followers on social media. “Excited to honor history & celebrate the future in our beautiful @WhiteHouse Rose Garden this evening. Thank you to all helped renew this iconic & truly gorgeous space,” tweeted the first lady.
Coincidentally, this will also mark another norm that the Trumps have broken, which was to use the White House as a backdrop for both of their speeches for the convention. Federal rules prohibit using the White House for political events, yet the Trumps will be the first family to break that rule in the upcoming partisan event.
However, the renovations were met with very mixed reactions once the first photos of the newly-renovated space were revealed. A few users questioned the lack of roses in the Rose Garden as well as the trees that were once planted there that have now been removed. Others praised the renovations, noting the elegance and understated quality.
Meanwhile, Melania and Donald are not exactly known to be the affectionate types as far as first couples are, a stark contrast from their immediate predecessors despite being married for years. According to body language expert Judi James, there is a shift in how both the president and first lady interact with each other in public.
James revealed that over the years, the first lady has grown into her duties and the two have since taken on equal roles. This might have encouraged the first couple to become more affectionate towards each other publicly. “As a result, Donald seems happier moving her into his spotlight and their PDAs as a 'power couple' have increased,” said James.