Melania Trump has reportedly rejected an invitation from Jill Biden to visit the White House, due to alleged lingering resentment over the 2022 FBI raid authorized by Joe Biden that involved searching her personal items, including her underwear drawer. According to HuffPost , Melania has no plans to join the customary post-election White House tea with the sitting First Lady–a meeting she participated in with Michelle Obama in 2016. A source close to the future First Lady said bluntly, “She ain’t going. Jill Biden’s husband authorized the FBI snooping through her underwear drawer. The Bidens are disgusting. Jill Biden isn’t someone Melania needs to meet.”
This snub comes as a prominent break from tradition, as First Ladies typically welcome their successors to ease the transition and share insights on the role. The August 2022 raid at Mar-a-Lago was a pivotal moment that apparently created Melania’s resentment towards the Bidens. In an interview, Melania expressed anger over the incident, describing it as an ‘invasion of privacy.’ Melania asserted, “Yeah, it made me angry. Yes. Invasion of privacy. And, the way it was done, was I was really surprised.” She remarked, “I saw unpleasant stuff that nobody wants to see. And you get angry because, you know, nobody should be putting up with that kind of stuff.” During the raid, over 30 FBI agents scoured her private quarters, including her closet, Donald Trump ’s office, and even their son Barron Trump ’s room.
Melania Trump releases new video slamming the FBI for violating her privacy. “I never imagined my privacy would be invaded by the government here in America. The FBI raided my home in Florida and searched through my personal belongings.” pic.twitter.com/PmywcS8s4l
— Oli London (@OliLondonTV) September 15, 2024
As per The New York Post , the search lasted more than nine hours, during which agents reportedly combed through drawers and personal belongings. The raid itself targeted Donald’s alleged possession of classified documents, some of which were stored in 15 boxes at Mar-a-Lago. While Trump’s legal team was reportedly cooperative with federal authorities, allowing access to specific storage spaces, the FBI reportedly went beyond these agreed-upon spaces, prompting allegations of government overreach.
In addition to the snubbed invitation, heightened security measures are now in place at Mar-a-Lago, including robotic dogs deployed by the Secret Service to protect the president-elect amid rising security threats. A spokesperson revealed, “Safeguarding the President-elect is a top priority. While we cannot get into the specific capabilities, the robotic dogs are equipped with surveillance technology and an array of advanced sensors that support our protective operations.” The robot dogs, costing between $75,000 and $100,000 each, are equipped with surveillance technology to detect chemical and bomb threats.
Jill’s invitation, issued last week, sought to smooth the transition by hosting Melania in the White House’s Yellow Oval Room , much as Obama did in 2016. However, Melania’s strong feelings toward the Bidens have made her resistant to following tradition. Though Donald accepted Biden’s invitation to meet at the Oval Office, Melania’s absence will mark a significant deviation from past First Lady protocol, underscoring lingering tensions between the Trump and Biden families.