Old Montage of Trump ‘Pretending to Be Married to Melania’ Leaves Everyone In Splits: "She Knows…"

Resurfaced clips of Donald Trump attempting to hold Melania Trump’s hand—only to be rebuffed—have reignited speculation about their marriage. These moments, edited together and posted on Reddit with the title "Donald Trump pretending to be married to Melania," have left the internet buzzing with humor and critique, as users dissect the interactions and body language between Donald and Melania. In each instance, Trump repeatedly reached for Melania’s hand, which was met with what appears to be deliberate avoidance.

For instance, one of the most widely discussed moments (during Donald's first presidency) occurred in 2017 during a visit to Tel Aviv. As the Trumps walked the red carpet alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, Melania appeared to swat Donald’s hand away, as reported by The Hill.

Then again, on a trip to Ohio, Melania strategically used her coat to block access to her hands, effectively avoiding any contact. In yet another public engagement, Melania forcefully swung her hand to free herself, causing Donald to stumble a little before regaining his composure and adjusting his suit. These repeated public gestures of swatting indicate unsaid tension, with body language offering subtle insights into their relationship dynamics.

The viral footage fueled rumors of marital discord, but Melania later dismissed the speculation in her memoir Melania. She explained what happened in 2017: “As we walked down the red carpet, I gently waved away his attempt to hold my hand. The media labeled it as a ‘swat’ and used it as supposed evidence of marital discord.” Melania described the incident as a ‘mere misunderstanding,’ blaming the media for sensationalizing a trivial moment. She explained that the protocol required the prime minister and the president to walk side by side, leaving the spouses behind. When Trump offered his hand, Melania declined, preferring to walk alone.

There have been several instances of visible tension between Melania and Donald, as captured by cameras during public appearances. After the 2020 final presidential debate, Melania was seen pulling away from Donald’s hand, nudging him to give her a slight push on the back before walking away, visibly irritated. During another viral moment, while exiting Air Force One, Melania pulled her hand away, leaving Donald awkwardly trying to hold it again before giving up.

Netizens on Reddit had a lot to say regarding the couple's swatting game. One user wrote, “The hand swat in the white dress is still my favorite.” In agreement, another added, “That's what happens when you pay people to marry you.” Someone else echoed a similar sentiment, “She's just waiting for him to die, trying to do the bare minimum to maximize inheritance and not get booted from the will. The contempt is palpable.” Another user added, “The fact that she knows this is going to be filmed just shows the hatred for her POS husband.”

As if this wasn’t enough, one critic remarked, “They both know they’re being filmed, that’s the best part. He desperately wants to be seen holding hands and she does her best to avoid it.” Others noted, “She reportedly cried the night he won. She just wanted to be a regular trophy wife who didn't have to really be around him. Instead, she had to be a full-time public first lady. But yeah will be quite an interesting drama to see if she stays or goes when Trump inevitably flees to Russia.”

As per Express, this isn’t the first time their interactions have faced scrutiny. Darren Stanton, a body language expert, analyzed the couple’s demeanor during Donald's post-election speech at Mar-a-Lago. According to Stanton, Melania exhibited a ‘contrived smile’ and ‘very little reciprocal liking.’ During a staged embrace, Stanton noted a stark contrast between the president-elect's affectionate overtures and Melania’s detached demeanor. “There’s no passion; she doesn’t want to be there…He is doing all the work here,” he remarked.