As Donald Trump prepares to be inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States, First Lady Melania Trump has opened up about the difficulties she faced during her first move into the White House—and hinted at a smoother transition this time around.
While Melania has remained active in the public eye—making headlines during a recent state visit to the United Kingdom, sparking speculation about her appearances, and drawing attention during President Trump’s address to the United Nations—it’s her candid remarks from earlier this year about the Obama administration that have resurfaced with renewed interest.
In a January interview with Fox & Friends, ahead of the January 20 inauguration, Melania reflected on the 2016–2017 presidential transition. “The first time was challenging,” she admitted. “We didn’t have much of the information. The information was… withheld from us by the previous administration. But this time, I have everything!”
Though she did not name names, her comments appeared to reference the Obama family, who oversaw the handover of the White House to the Trumps in January 2017.
This isn’t the first time Melania has spoken publicly about obstacles during that transition. In her memoir, she wrote: “It is customary for the incoming first family to start the moving process when the outgoing first family leaves for the holidays in December. Sadly, our team did not receive the access we had requested to visit the White House residence in December.”
She added that despite repeated outreach, her team received no response for weeks. When information finally arrived, she claimed it contained errors that delayed planning. “This delayed the planning process, and I was only able to begin renovations… once we were already in the White House. Those three weeks would have been crucial for … starting preparations.”
These accounts contrast with what Michelle Obama has shared about the transition. In her bestselling memoir Becoming, Michelle stated that she proactively reached out to Melania to offer support—just as Laura Bush had once done for her. Michelle later told ABC News that Melania never accepted the gesture.
At the time, Melania’s communications director, Stephanie Grisham, responded to CNN with a statement emphasizing the First Lady’s independence: “Mrs. Trump is a strong and independent woman who has been navigating her role as First Lady in her own way. When she needs advice on any issue, she seeks it from her professional team within the White House.”
Despite the reported tensions during her first tenure, Melania has confirmed she will reside at the White House during her husband’s second term, while also spending time in New York and Palm Beach.
“My first priority is, you know, to be a mom, to be a First Lady, to be a wife,” she said. “And once we are in on Jan. 20, you serve the country.”
